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calculate needed motorpower / -torque?

Hello everyone.

I'm an electronics guy, trying to build a robot. Unfortunately, I never learned a lot about mechanics, and this appears to be a problem.

My current problem is: How can I calculate the Power and Torque requirements for my motors? What are the formulas, and what do I have to take into account (or keep in mind)

Google doesn't seem to help me much on my quest! Are there any good websites on mechanics / kinematics or robotics in general? preferably with lots of tutorials / howto's :-)

Thanks in advance! Grtz, Lorenzo

Reply to
Lorenzo Dieryckx
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Here are lots of formulas. The answer is propably somewhere hidden among it :-) Sorry i can't be more specific.

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Reply to
hihihi

Do a google search for something like "ball screw calculation" and you will find ball screw manufacturers like THK, Nook Industries, and others. Their catalogs usually have "Application Engineeing" sections with calculation formulas and examples. You can also download SEW Eurodrive's "Practical Engineering" books (PDF file) on calculating how to properly apply their gearmotors (an excellent, free resource). It's on

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(not the US site) and you have to dig for the "Documentation" area, but it's there somewhere.

This should get you started on the road to defining torques which is a tedious, time consuming affair. Once you have torques, then power requirements to drive the torque (metric or otherwise) are proportional....just have to dig for the formula.

Have fun ya electronic bit-head. Next time call your mechanical engineer friends over and bribe them with beer. 8^)_)

Moe & The Boys

Reply to
Moe_Larry_Curly

I'd suggest two books:

  1. Building Robot Drive Trains
  2. Build Your Own All-Terrain Robot

Both are published by McGraw-Hill.

-- D. Jay Newman

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Reply to
D. Jay Newman

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