Re: Telescoping Arm
 

You guys are awesome! Thank you so much. :)

I was looking around online and stumbled across this:

http://www.dil-actuators.co.uk/scopic.htm

http://www.linearmotion.skf.com/main/skfkey/url/details_sl_skfkey_sl_Kind_sl_ProductRange_sl_Id_sl _122


Maybe these can do the job? Tell me what you think...

Thanks FIRST-ers!! :)

Re: Telescoping Arm
 

This looks very good, however without knowing what you will be using it for is hard to tell if is enough or maybe is to overkill. I don't know if is worth spennding the money when you can build it. Once again it all depends what you are lifting, how long you wanted to be when retracted and when extended.

If you post some information about the arm maybe we can help you oiout a little more, as ChrisH said maybe we can all input in the design if we have enough info to develope something.

Remember that the fun part is building your own projects, so buying it wouldn't be as fun, but it all depends in your deadline and again what you need it for.

PS: I'm sorry I repeat my self too much :)

Dave

Re: Telescoping Arm
 

Ok...lets see if I can explain this better for you guys:

I need to create an arm that can pick up small Legos from a tray where they are lined up (the tray will be slanted so that the next piece will slide to the base and be picked up from there). The arm needs to be able to pick up that Lego and then move up and out to place it on top of another Lego that is in the middle of a table. The thing is...the arm needs to have enough force to push the Lego onto the other one securly. That's what I am most worried about. Being able to use the force of the retracting telescope as the force that will push the Lego securly into the one it is stacked on top of.

I've got the claw device all configured and how to work that, so it's no problem. I just need to make sure that using a telescoping drive (like from those sites I listed above) can do the job. 1000 N sound like enough? I took physics, but I wasn't a genius at it ;) so I want to make sure....

Also, I think I would make my own telescoping drive, but this has to be a very precise instrument to be able to pick up the smallest of Lego pieces. It's got to be very exact, so going with a precision manufactured telescope might be better then me making my own. I'm not one to boast - I know I can make some good stuff out of metal and all that - but even I can't make that perfect of a telescope, and chances are...it'd be a little more primative, depending on the parts I have access to.

1000 N / 9.8 = ~102.041 kilograms
Is that equation right? (summer break does this to me ;) )

As always, thanks guys. Your help is awesome and out of this world. :]