About the Robot Arm

The AL5C robotic arm delivers fast, accurate, and repeatable movement. The robot features: base rotation, single plane shoulder, elbow, wrist motion, a functional gripper, and optional wrist rotate. The AL5C robotic arm is an affordable system with a time tested rock solid design that will last and last. Everything needed to assemble and operate the robot is included in the kit, including RIOS, a very powerful Windows program for the SSC-32 servo controller.

Note that we have tested the arm to hold at most <4oz at full reach without any additional products such as the wrist rotate upgrade installed on the arm (which decreases the payload). The lift capacity increases as the load is closer to the base, but depends on the configuration of the arm. 

The Mechanics

The aluminum robotic arm is made from our Servo Erector Set components for the ultimate in flexibility and expandability. The kit consists of black anodized aluminum brackets, Aluminum tubing and hubs, custom injection molded components, and precision laser-cut Lexan components. The arm uses 1 x HS-475HB in the base, 1 x HS-755HB in the shoulder, 1 x HS-645MG in the elbow, 1 x HS-475HB in the wrist, and 1 x HS-422 in the gripper. The optional light weight wrist rotate uses 1 x HS-85BB.

Controlling the Arm

RIOS (Robotic arm Interactive Operating System) is a Windows program for controlling the AL5 series of Robotic Arms with our SSC-32 servo controller. With RIOS, your robot can be taught sequences of motion via the mouse or joystick. The inverse kinematics engine makes positioning the arm effortless. This extremely powerful program uses external digital and analog inputs to affect the robot's motion for closed loop projects. If-then, for-next, and do-while, are supported for the inputs. External outputs can also be controlled. This has been verified to work with an I/OGear USB to serial cable. If stand alone operation is desired, RIOS/SSC-32 can actually create the BASIC code to control the arm from our Bot Board and Basic Atom or Basic Stamp 2. Requires the purchase of a programming Starter Pack listed below. Note, DB9 Serial Data Cable included with AL5CC-KT. Alternately the servo motors can be controlled directly from a microcontroller. We sell the arm without servos and electronics for these options.

New 3D image capture!

With the addition of a GP2D12 sensor it is now possible to do experimental 3D image capturing with the latest version of RIOS.

Important!

To keep costs down we are not providing printed Assembly Guides. They are provided online, so you will need to print them when you order the kits. By providing the Assembly Guides online we can provide more detailed and up to date information than the old hardcopy method allowed.