Robotic Arm Donation 🤖

Well. @benemorius @tron @Hon1nbo We tried starting up the robot but it seemed we kept getting “1|R” flashing in AXE 1.

  1. We switched the AXE 2 and AXE 1 boards and still kept getting an error.
  2. We ran the spec program and ran Hardware Configuration and found that the encoder was floating.
  3. From there we released the break for Joint 1. Encoder still floating but changed as we moved the joint manually
  4. Had a hunch and stabilized the cable to the robot. Encoder stabilized
  5. And now all the AXE’s read 1

Adept SmartMotion: Test and Troubleshooting

And Voila!

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What kind of cable is it? Sounds like it has a break inside and should be replaced.

We won’t need to replace the whole cable; I think it just needs to have a pin reterminated. I’m going to pick it apart tonight if anyone wants to join.

I need to dig up the part number for the connector (though I aw it noted somewhere); Inside the cable the pins are like Molex and can be removed from the back side. I’ll be working on the arm a bit tonight (inspecting that cable, adding a cable management system of some kind to the cart, and seeing if I can make some basic attachment plates for a couple of test items)

Cheers,
-Jim

What size Molex? Vector has tools to take some of the larger pins out of the connectors commonly used in pinball and video arcade games.

Not Molex, “like molex”. I mean, a molex tool may work but I wouldn’t know which one until I get the connector apart.

Mouser sells many different variations of “like Molex”. I picked up TE (Tyco Electronics) a couple weeks ago.

Yeah there are a lot, but need to actually pick it apart a bit and figure out which one it is; I don’t want to just grab the wrong tools and damage some pins until we confirm the cable’s repairability.

If possible would be nice to buy it from Mouser.com

Is it a CS7 or CS8 controller?

CS7MB. We use the UserManual_CS7M.pdf (2.8 MB) to guide us.

Ok gotcha. Luckily the CS7 doesn’t have too many safety circuits to overcome.

have you worked on these before? we usually work on sundays as a team and individually whenever if your comfortable starting it up

Yeah I have a Staubli with a CS8C controller but the Dallas County Community College has a few CS7 controllers and the guys who run that are pretty familiar with it as well. I also have relationships with Staubli if we ever needed professional help, but I doubt they’d even touch these since they’re so old. Do you know if it’s an Adept controller board with Staubli drives? I think Adept made all their controls and Staubli just supplies the drives for those models.

If we could figure out how to write a ROS driver for these that could allow people to buy these cheap and use them for real applications! I wanted to do that and never really wanted to dish out the cash one a robot but since we have one we could do it! Pretty exciting. We probably need to setup a safety system like fencing or a proximity system. Maybe we can get some cheap used light curtains.

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Awesome! Next sunday, 4/8, 3 p.m. is when we’ll meet again.

Awesome. I’ll try to be there.

Work Session this Sunday, 4/8, 3 p.m. - 5 p.m… Look for it on the calendar it should be up tomorrow.

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What’s most intriguing is the work being done all over the world with irbs and open source stmbl drives connected to a linux cnc OS via mesa electronics hardware…thats what im planning to do with my bots… https://github.com/rene-dev/stmbl/wiki/STMBL-for-dummies

Sorry I haven’t been in on this much…if ur talking about the main latching power connector on the robot they are often Just referred to as heavy duty latching power connector or “heavy conns” from Phoenix contact. They are semi generic and are most easily found on McMaster cart though they are by no means cheap…they are friggin awesome and have internal screw terminals making maintenance easy…unless ur talking about internal interconnecting cables in which case sorry for the digression.

Barring any catastrophe I’ll be there

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