Hey,
I'm trying to put make a robot move with rc components. I know how
small rc toys work with the reciever, and the servo's plug into that
reciever. I can't seem to find much info on industrial rc components.
I'm using 2 12V DC motors, one to move the object forward/reverse and
the other to move it left/right. If anyone knows of any companies,
websites, or any other information on industrial rc components, please
pass them this way.
Thanks
Hi again,
Industrial servos cost a load. The servos which come with a typical RC
kit can develop a torque of around 25 Ncm (if I remember correctly).
This is probably enough to operate the throttle of an engine, but
certainly not enough to operate the steering or transmission of a large
robot. You can get big servos which are compatible with common brands of
RC gear (like Futaba), but these cost a lot too. When I looked at large
servos the horrible, poor quality ones were upwards of £100 and the
decent ones upwards of £400. Industrial servos are likely to be more
expensive than this as they will be built for continuous use.
The small servos can, however, operate switches. When I built a robot I
used the servo arms to operate microswitches, which switched the current
going to the 12 V DC steering and transmission control motors. This
gives rather crude control: you push the stick left to turn the wheels
to the left, and the longer you hold the stick for, the further the
wheels turn, etc. I did the speed control the same way: hold the stick
forward to increase speed, and the longer you hold it for, the more the
speed increases. With a little practice it is a manageable system to
use, and it saves a lot of money, but you might want something more user
friendly.
If you've got plenty of time and experience of electronics you could
build your own servo. You need a motor (which can be reversed) connected
through a train of gears to the output shaft, some kind of feedback
which allows the position of the output shaft to be "read", and
electronics which take the signal from the RC receiver, compare it to
the position of the shaft, and tell the motor what to do. It'll probably
save you money (you can scrounge parts) and teach you a lot, but it's a
big project in itself.
formatting link
has technical details for their servos.
Best wishes,
Chris
Hi again,
Industrial servos cost a load. The servos which come with a typical RC
kit can develop a torque of around 25 Ncm (if I remember correctly).
This is probably enough to operate the throttle of an engine, but
certainly not enough to operate the steering or transmission of a large
robot. You can get big servos which are compatible with common brands of
RC gear (like Futaba), but these cost a lot too. When I looked at large
servos the horrible, poor quality ones were upwards of £100 and the
decent ones upwards of £400. Industrial servos are likely to be more
expensive than this as they will be built for continuous use.
The small servos can, however, operate switches. When I built a robot I
used the servo arms to operate microswitches, which switched the current
going to the 12 V DC steering and transmission control motors. This
gives rather crude control: you push the stick left to turn the wheels
to the left, and the longer you hold the stick for, the further the
wheels turn, etc. I did the speed control the same way: hold the stick
forward to increase speed, and the longer you hold it for, the more the
speed increases. With a little practice it is a manageable system to
use, and it saves a lot of money, but you might want something more user
friendly.
If you've got plenty of time and experience of electronics you could
build your own servo. You need a motor (which can be reversed) connected
through a train of gears to the output shaft, some kind of feedback
which allows the position of the output shaft to be "read", and
electronics which take the signal from the RC receiver, compare it to
the position of the shaft, and tell the motor what to do. It'll probably
save you money (you can scrounge parts) and teach you a lot, but it's a
big project in itself.
formatting link
has technical details for their servos.
Best wishes,
Chris
PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.