Build your Robotic Arm!

A robotic arm is a great project for anyone wanting to learn more about robotics and electronics, especially if you are also looking for a useful addition to your workspace.

Components

What you need:

A Microcontroller (preferably an Arduino Mega)
Servo Motors (preferably the MG-996R ones)
A servo driver (PCA9685 servo driver preferably)
Joystick
Buttons (optional)
Jumper Wires
Breadboard
Battery (preferably multiple)
Cardboard
Access to a 3D printer (preferable)
CAD Skills (required if 3D printing)

Steps to follow when making your first robotic arm:

Design your arm on paper first, then CAD if needed
- Have a clear idea on how many joints you want, how many degrees of motion and what components you need to design.
- Once you have a plan on paper, start designing using CAD software, or use files from the internet.
Wire up your joystick to your Arduino Mega
- Write code to convert the XY values from your joystick to directions (use ChatGPT if needed)
Wire up the servo motors to your servo controller and then your microcontroller
- Follow the following tutorial to set up servo control 👉 Servo Tutorial
- Write code to control your servos using your joystick instead of manually
Attach your 3D printed components / mechanical parts to your servo motors
Finish the project by securing the wires, designing a base/case, aesthetics, etc.

Guidelines / Tips to making your first robotic arm

Make sure you have the right servo motors and servo drivers
- Make sure that your servo motors are not too weak. Good servo motors that are powerful enough can be expensive.
- A servo driver is basically essential for this project, as it reduces the complexity tenfold. It also makes the project more aesthetic and reduces the amount of connections to keep track of.
- I recommend using the MG-996R Servo Motors, as they are somewhat affordable as well as having the desired torque requirements.
Use a microcontroller with many GPIO pins
- Projects like these use many jumper wires, and using a standard Arduino Uno will become cumbersome and not fun at all.
- Having many GPIO pins available allows you to add many components and grow the complexity of the project incredibly.
- Boards with many pins such as the Arduino Mega also tend to have better performance with multiple power sources.
Make an arm using popsicle sticks/ other people’s parts before making custom components
1. Making a simpler arm is a great starting point if it is your first time. Take inspiration from other people’s custom parts before having a go at making your own.
2. CAD is very complicated, and a great way to learn is by modifying other people’s existing components.
Use a 3D printer and Fusion 360 to design and print out the parts required
1. A 3D printer is the most affordable and easiest way to manufacture the custom parts required to make this.
2. Making a robotic arm is possible without 3D printed components, but using one will not only develop your CAD skills, it will make you more comfortable with using a 3D printer which can be useful for later projects
3. If you don’t have a 3D printer, use someone else’s 3D printing services (eBay is a great place to look for 3D print on-demand)
4. Fusion 360 is a great CAD software to use, especially if you are a student as you can access it for free. Other free platforms include Blender and OnShape
Use ChatGPT to develop most of the code
1. Although it may feel like cheating, it most certainly is not. Using ChatGPT to develop your code is the fastest way to learn how to code the Arduino.
2. Using ChatGPT teaches you how to write the C++ code for the Arduino, as well as speeding up the workflow as ChatGPT can write code a lot faster than you can
3. ChatGPT can also give you ideas of where to take your project in the future, how compatible certain components are together, and what the best practices are when making projects
Make sure you use 2 power sources
1. Using 2 power sources not only teaches you more about electronics, it is also more practically useful.
2. Motors consume lots of power, so controlling them using a separate power supply to the rest of the electronics ensures that they work at their optimal voltage, as well as ensuring that the project lasts longer before needing to change the batteries.
3. I recommend using a 9V battery for the Arduino and 4 AA batteries for the motors. Make sure that the grounds of the 2 power supplies are connected (this is crucial).
4. Make sure you research the optimal voltage for your motors before buying a power supply for them.

How to develop your project

Add flex sensors to control the arm with your hand
- Making a robotic glove remote control is a great addition to the project.
- Start by making a simple remote control (Making a Remote Control) and then add flex sensors to it.
Add an electromagnet
- An electromagnetic gripper is a great addition as it usually means that the robotic arm can pick up heavier objects depending on how strong the magnet is.