AL5D Arm Assembly Instructions Rev. 2.1

If you have not done so before, download and install <a href="https://www.lynxmotion.com/showproduct.aspx?productID=567&CategoryID=15#downloads" target="_blank">LynxTerm v1.08</a> or higher. Connect the SSC-32 to

635

the serial port and apply power. The green LED should light up and stay

636

on

637

until it receives a valid serial command. Run the LynxTerm program. If

638

LynxTerm cannot connect, please consult the <a href="http://www.lynxmotion.net/viewtopic.php?t=4702" target="_blank">serial

639

and USB-to-serial troubleshooting guide</a>.

640

641

Now test the servos and

642

connections by selecting a channel, and moving

643

the servo carefully using the slider bar. Verify that the servos are

644

plugged into the channels as listed in Table 21. Easy does it; this is

645

real time control, so be careful! Select channels 0 through 4 one at a

646

time and test that each works.

</td>

<td style="vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"><img src="https://wiki.lynxmotion.com/info/wiki/lynxmotion/download/servo-erector-set-robots-kits/ses-v1-robots/ses-v1-arms/al5d-arm-rev-2-1/WebHome/lterm01.jpg" border="2" height="243" hspace="10" >  Figure 22a (Lynxterm).</td>

</tr>

<tr>

</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td style="vertical-align: top;">Step

658

22b (SSC-32U / Servo Utility).

659

Just like in the base instructions, we will use the SSC-32

660

Servo

661

Sequencer Utility to test the servos and confirm they are all plugged

662

into their proper servo channels and oriented correctly. If not done so

663

before, download and install the <a href="http://www.lynxmotion.com/p-895-free-download-ssc-32-servo-sequencer-utility-created-using-flowbotics-studio.aspx" target="_blank">SSC-32 Servo Sequencer Utility</a>. Connect the USB

664

cable and power the board using the on/off switch. Run

665

the program.

666

667

The SSC-32U is shipped with a baud rate of 9600. Ensure the baud rate

668

towards the bottom right of the window is set to 9600 (not 115200). The

669

software should automatically detect which COM port is connected to the

670

SSC-32U, and have installed the <a href="http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm" target="_blank">FTDI

671

(USB to serial) drivers</a> automatically.

672

673

Ensure Servos 0 4 are

674

checked off in the software (and therefore accessible). You can now move the sliders to see each servo

675

rotate. Verify that the servos

676

are

677

plugged into the channels as listed in Table 21. Easy does it; this is

678

real time control, so be careful.

679

680

For more information, please consult the <a href="http://www.flowbotics.com/manuals/ssc-32_servo_sequencer.pdf" target="_blank">SSC-32 Servo Sequencer Utility manual</a>.

</td>

Figure 22b (SSC-32 Utility).

</td>

</tr>

<tr>

</td>

</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td align="left" valign="top" >Step 23a (SSC-32 / Lynxterm).

696

Click on the "All = 1500" button in LynxTerm. This will command the

697

servos to hold center position. Your arm should look like Figure 24. If

698

any joint is off by more than 15°, then you may have made an error in

699

assembly.

700

701

If you did not purchase RIOS

702

software, please proceed to step 28.

</td>

Figure 23.

</td>

</tr>

<tr>

</tr>

<tr>

<td style="vertical-align: top;">Step

714

23b (SSC-32U / Servo Utility).

715

Click on the "Calibrate" button in the SSC-32 Servo Sequencer Utility.

716

A knob next to each servo will appear (figure 23b). This knob is used

717

to fine tune the servo's center position. The knob is not intended to

718

be rotated: click the knob you wish to rotate, keeping the mouse button

719

down, and drag up and down to rotate the knob. Do this for each servo

720

until the arm looks like figure 23, and angles are 90 and 180 degrees.

721

If

722

any joint is off by more than 15°, then you may have made an error in

assembly.

Once

all servos have been

properly positioned, click the "calibrate" button again to exit

728

calibration mode. The offsets will automatically be saved on the SSC-32

729

/ SSC-32U.

730

731

If you did not purchase the RIOS software, please proceed to step 28.

</td>

Figure 23b (SSC-32 Utilty).

</td>

</tr>

<tr>

</td>

</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td align="left" valign="top" >Step 24 (RIOS Users Only).

746

Should you have purchase

747

RIOS, or a version of the arm which includes RIOS, please follow the

748

next steps. To use the RIOS Arm

749

control software, you need to make one

750

minor modification. Remove the servo horn screw from the elbow servo.

751

Pull the servo horn off the servo, lift the arm two 'clicks' (30°) at

752

the elbow and reattach the servo horn and screw. Note, the Hitec spline

753

has 24 grooves, so each groove is 15°.</td>

Figure 24.</td>

</tr>

<tr>

</tr>

<tr>

<td align="left" valign="top" >Step 25 (RIOS

762

Users Only).

763

At this point the arm is assembled and tested using LynxTerm. Now we

764

need to install RIOS and calibrate the arm to the software. Use the

765

RIOS Help File to calibrate and use the arm.

766

Install RIOS, following the

767

on-screen installation prompts. The serial number is on the back of the

768

CD sleeve.

769

Use the RIOS Help File to

770

calibrate and use the arm, following Steps 1-7. When you get to Step 8

771

in the help file, please use the following instructions instead.

772

Please take the time to do an

773

accurate calibration. The performance of the arm will only be as good

774

as the calibration. If the on screen virtual arm does not match the

775

real arm this is a sign of an inaccurate calibration. After calibration

776

please study the RIOS manual carefully to learn how to store and

777

playback sequences for the arm.

</td>

Figure 25 (RIOS).

</td>

</tr>

<tr>

</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td align="left" valign="top" >Step 26 (RIOS

790

Users Only).

791

To calibrate the arm's Shoulder servo, click the "SSC-32" button.</td>

Figure 26 (RIOS).

</td>

</tr>

<tr>

</tr>

<tr>

<td align="left" valign="top" >Step 27 (RIOS

802

Users Only).

803

Start the servo configuration with the Shoulder, servo #2. Move the

804

shoulder slider up to move the shoulder forward so that it looks like

805

Figure 28-2. Set the Min Deg angle -45°. Right click on the slider to

806

set this as the Min Position. Now the servo will not go past this

807

value, and the program now knows this value is exactly 45° from

808

centered.

809

Now move the slider down to move

810

the shoulder backward so that it looks like Figure 28-3. Set the Max

811

Deg angle to 45°. Right click on the slider to set this as the Max

812

Position. Now the servo will not go past this value, and the program

813

now knows this value is exactly 45° from centered.

814

The next step is to read and

815

study the RIOS users guide. It is accessible by clicking on the help

816

icon on the main screen or by navigating to the install directory

817

(c:\Program Files\RIOS_SSC-32\) and opening the Help.pdf file. This

818

manual explains in great detail how to use the arm.

</td>

Figure 27-1 (RIOS).

</td>

</tr>

<tr>

</tr>

<tr>

Figure 27-2.

</td>

Figure 27-3.

</td>

</tr>

<tr>

</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td align="left" valign="top" >Step 28.

844

To connect springs for load-balancing, replace the servo

845

attachment hardware in the locations shown, following the diagrams

846

below. Hook the springs together after they're secured.

</td>

Figure 28.</td>

</tr>

<tr>

</tr>

<tr>

<td align="left" valign="top" >Step 29.

861

The arm assembly is complete. The arm is robust mechanically,

862

but the servos can be damaged by improper use. An example would be if

863

the arm was told to move to an unobtainable position, like the surface

864

the arm is mounted to, or by crashing into itself or other

865

objects. The elbow servo is the most vulnerable because it holds the

866

entire weight of the forearm. As indicated in step 28, load balancing

867

springs should be added to

868

reduce some of this load.

869

870

If you purchased FlowBotics

871

Studio,

872

FlowStone or FlowArm, you can proceed with the instruction guide(s)

873

associated with those programs.

874

People do

875

not like holding heavy objects with their arms outstretched in front of

876

them. Servo based robot arms don't like it much either. Remember, the

877

most important rule for servo based robot arms: Park the arm when not

878

in motion! When it's moving or at rest it's usually ok. When it's

879

holding an object it should do so for the minimum amount of time

880

required to do the job. You can always touch the servo case to see if

it's getting hot.

</td>

</td>

<td>

</td>

</tr>

</tbody>

</table>

</body>

Wiki source code of AL5D Arm Assembly Instructions Rev. 2.1