Project
Multi-Axis Robotic Arm
A 3D-printed multi-axis robotic arm designed, built, and programmed from scratch, controlled using a joystick and custom Arduino code.
Solo project — mechanical design, fabrication, electronics, and firmware.
- SolidWorks
- Embedded C
- Arduino
- Servo Control
- 3D Printing
I built this robotic arm from scratch as a combination of mechanical design, electronics, and programming. The full 20+ part assembly was designed in SolidWorks. I then 3D printed and assembled the parts, wired the electronics, and wrote the code to control the arm.
Design and Analysis
Before printing the parts, I tested the arm’s movement and checked the design for areas that could experience high stress. This also helped identify a few places where the joints could interfere with each other when fully extended. I made changes to the design to fix these issues and reduced the component weight by around 25% while keeping the parts strong enough for the application.
I also designed the gripper as part of the same system, making sure it worked within the limits of the servo controlling it and had enough movement to open and close properly.
Firmware and Control
The arm is controlled by an Arduino using embedded C, with a joystick used to control the six servos. I wrote the code to translate the joystick movements into smooth arm movement rather than having the servos react instantly to every small change in input.
The software also includes limits for each joint to prevent the servos from moving too far and hitting the physical end of the mechanism. This helps prevent unnecessary strain on the servos and keeps the arm within its designed range of movement.