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Important 

Notes 

Operating Voltage : RC servos are only meant to operate at between 4.8V to ~6V. Using a 
power supply at over 6V may damage some of the servos, and will not be covered by the 
warranty.  
 
Gripper open / close  When closing the gripper on an object, do not attempt to move it to a 
position which is physically impeded by the object. RC servos are not intelligent and they will 
continue to try to move to the requested position even if that position is not possible or is 
blocked. This will cause the servo to heat up and fail. 
 
Load : The arm is “hobby grade” and should not be used to lift heavy objects. If the arm appears 
to be having trouble lifting the object, it is likely too heavy. We have tested the arm to hold at 
most <10oz at full reach without any additional products such as the wrist rotate upgrade 
installed on the arm (which decreases the payload). The lift capacity increases as the load is 
closer to the base, but depends on the configuration of the arm.  
 
Operating Time : RC servo motors are not meant to operate for extended periods of time as 
they will overheat. The duty cycle is ~25%. For example, this means that in a period of one hour, 
the arm should only be operating for around 15 minutes continuously. The rest of the time the 
arm should not be powered and the motors left to cool off. 

Warranty Information 

The warranty on the Lynxmotion AL5D - PLTW arm is one year from the date of receipt under 
normal use. 

RobotShop Inc. 305-18005 Lapointe, Mirabel, Quebec, Canada, J7J0G2 

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Summary of Contents for AL5D-PLTW

Page 1: ...RobotShop Product Code RB Lyn 814 Lynxmotion SKU AL5D PLTW Guide release date version V1 2 March 2018 RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 ...

Page 2: ...ols Required 5 RC Servo Technology 6 Angle 6 Torque 6 Operation 6 Assembly 7 A Base 7 B Arm Assembly 17 C Servo Installation 27 D Software Servo Setup 37 E Cleanup Mounting 45 Important Notes 52 Warranty Information 52 RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 1 ...

Page 3: ...personal and professional robot technology that help increase the pleasure knowledge liberty and security of individuals We are also committed to promoting and advocating the interest and necessity of robotics use towards positive ends allowing humanity to attain a better world AL5D Robot Arm The AL5D PLTW arm is part of Lynxmotion s series of AL5 robot arms AL5A AL5B and AL5D the AL5C was discont...

Page 4: ...45MG Servo Motor wrist 1x HS 755HB Giant Scale Servo Motor elbow 1x HS 805BB Giant Scale Servo Motor shoulder 1x HS 485HB Servo Motor base AL5D PLTW The PLTW version of the AL5D RB Lyn 814 includes additional upgrades 1x FlowArm PLTW Software on CD with licence printed on the invoice packing slip 1x Medium duty wrist rotate with 1x HS 422 servo 1x Servo extension cable The arm is packaged by sub s...

Page 5: ...ates the parts Lynxmotion codes used to make the standard AL5D arm without the additional parts for PLTW Standard AL5D Robot Arm V1 w Old SSC 32 Medium duty wrist rotate upgrade RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 4 ...

Page 6: ...ded components and precision laser cut Lexan components Dimensions Shoulder to elbow 5 75 Elbow to wrist 7 375 Wrist to tip of gripper 3 375 Height arm packed approx 7 25 Height reaching up approx 19 00 Median forward reach approx 10 25 Gripper opening 1 25 Weight 31oz Range of motion per axis 180 degrees Medium duty wrist rotate ads 1 Load Capacity The load capacity of the arm is based on multipl...

Page 7: ...e as a force a force acts as a straight vector whereas torque is rotational about a point Torque is defined as force multiplied by distance or T F d where d is the distance between the force and the axis of rotation Although we will not go into the details of how to calculate torque it is important to note that not all servos can provide the same torque and some are more powerful than others Opera...

Page 8: ...r the assembly steps A Base Step A1 Insert the 1 16 x stainless steel pins into the 6mm black plastic beads as shown 5x 5x steel pins 5x plastic beads Step A2 Install the bearings into the base as shown They will fit snugly Note the notch in the bottom edge of the base shown below indicates the back 5x plastic bead assemblies 1x base rotate bottom RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Ca...

Page 9: ... 2 upside down Press the base against the sandpaper in small circles on it to remove any imperfections on the beads Step A4 optional The image below shows the circle pattern on the sandpaper and the inset shows the bearings after any imperfections have been removed RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 8 ...

Page 10: ...e screwdriver correct Phillips head is needed Apply some downward pressure but do not strip the screw If the servo horn was rotated re center it as in the image below then pull the white plastic horn straight off of the servo Step A6 Place the servo in the base as shown and screw it in using four 4 x Phillips head tapping screws included with the base rotate kit Note that the holes are not tapped ...

Page 11: ...crews and four 2 56 nuts as shown Note the bracket and hardware are included in the arm kit not the base kit Ensure the orientation looks like the image below Step A8 optional to reduce noise Add a drop of silicone based oil to each bearing not included RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 10 ...

Page 12: ...nd all of the lines pointing between the mounting tabs Note this top piece is manufactured to be a tight fit to the servo horn so be sure to align them well and you might have to press hard Step A10 Pass the servo s cable through the hole in the back of the base This will keep the base level to the mounting surface RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 11 ...

Page 13: ...tate Heavy Duty Base to VEX Adapter Option 2 Lynxmotion Base Electronics Carrier Kit OPTION 1 AL5 to VEX plate Step A11 Screw four 4 40 x 1 long standoffs included with the Lynxmotion to VEX Adapter to the plate using four 4 40 x long hex screws RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 12 ...

Page 14: ...Step A12 Use two 4 40 x hex screws and two 4 40 x lock nuts to fix the RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 13 ...

Page 15: ...RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 14 ...

Page 16: ... The SSC 32U only needs the one wiring harness Note that the On Off switch has three pins of which two have wires When the switch points towards these two connectors electricity can flow In the image below the switch would be OFF The orientation when inserted into the hole can be vertical as shown in the image above or horizontal just know which is ON and OFF Switch in the OFF position RobotShop I...

Page 17: ...SC 32U using four more 1 4 x 3 8 hex socket screws Do not make the electrical connections yet The base rotate is shown just for reference so you know where it will be placed later RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 16 ...

Page 18: ... Bad Wires Insert the wires to the VS1 input as shown between the top bent metal and the bottom metal making sure the black wires goes to and the red wires goes to Tighten the screws to ensure the wires are secure and verify that there are no loose strands which may cause a short circuit If you find it difficult to insert all of the wire strands or they are too messy use wire cutters or sharp scis...

Page 19: ... can be in either orientation whichever works best for you The orientation below is standard Note If you have purchased the Lynxmotion Base Rotate Heavy Duty Base to VEX Adapter you will not need this plate and must use that adapter plate instead for these steps RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 18 ...

Page 20: ...ex socket screws and two 4 40 nylon insert lock nuts ensuring the bracket is on the same side as the standoffs The bracket can be on the left or the right side whichever works best for your application RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 19 ...

Page 21: ...onnector You can use a tie wrap or tape to hold the wires in place The SSC 32U only needs the one wiring harness Note that the On Off switch has three pins of which two have wires When the switch points towards these two connectors electricity can flow In the image below the switch would be OFF Switch in the OFF position RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 20 ...

Page 22: ...ed This means rotating the screw so that the inner metal touches the bottom of the plastic see visually Screwing in the opposite direction will create a bottom up clamping effect which will hold the wire in place Screw terminal Clean Wires Bad Wires Insert the wires to the VS1 input as shown between the top bent metal and the bottom metal making sure the black wires goes to and the red wires goes ...

Page 23: ... scissors to remove some of the shielding at the end 0 5cm and then carefully cut some of the wire ensuring all of the wires are straight and compact NOTE Once again ensure no wires touch between the red and black leads at the screw terminals RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 22 ...

Page 24: ...sembly Step B1 Connect the a large C bracket ASB 203 and an 805 C bracket ASB 205 together as shown using two 2 56 x 1 4 screws and two 2 56 nuts RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 23 ...

Page 25: ...dge with a flat blade screwdriver or scissors the covering can easily be lifted and peeled off Take a look at the following three images Install the mechanical dampening panels as shown using four 2 56 x machine screws Be sure to add the discs to the correct sides and ensure the holes in the upper disk line up with the holes in the lower disk We suggest placing the side around the edge of a table ...

Page 26: ...The panels with the larger holes are on the outside of the bracket RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 25 ...

Page 27: ...sert a 4 40 x 0 5 Phillips head screw through the hole in the multi purpose bracket as shown Secure with a steel nut Ensure the right screw is used RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 26 ...

Page 28: ...RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 27 ...

Page 29: ...ng or loosening the lock nut Start with the nut loose and if the arm seems to wobble a bit you can tighten this joint to correct the wobble It should rotate freely CAUTION Don t over tighten this nut If the arm is operated with the mechanical dampeners too tight the servo WILL heat up and can be damaged RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 28 ...

Page 30: ... and 2 56 nuts Orientation of the screws tubing connector and bracket are important the hole in the tubing connector should be as shown so the tube lines up as in figure 7 The shorter size of the L bracket is used Create two sub assemblies RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 29 ...

Page 31: ...assemblies from step B6 to the 4 50 tube using two 4 40 x 250 screws Tighten these screws well as they have a tendency to want to unscrew themselves during operation RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 30 ...

Page 32: ... other end to a Large Multi Purpose bracket as shown in the image using two 2 56 x 250 screws and two 2 56 nuts for each bracket Orientation is important as well as which holes are used for the screws so follow the image below RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 31 ...

Page 33: ... 5 long Phillips head screw through the hole in the large multi purpose bracket in the location shown Secure with a steel nut This creates the forearm subassembly RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 32 ...

Page 34: ... arm seems to wobble a bit you can tighten this joint to correct the wobble CAUTION Don t over tighten this If the arm is operated with the mechanical dampeners too tight the servo WILL heat up and CAN be damaged Step B11 Attach the 3mm bearing to the end of the arm using the 8mm long M3 screw M3 nut and lock washer bearing mounting kit Tighten the screw so the lock washer becomes flat RobotShop I...

Page 35: ...lack horn which comes fixed to the 755 servo Ensure the horn is oriented as in the image above so the servo remained zeroed and pull it straight up and off Align the white plastic horn with the servo as shown in the following image as closely as possible and press it down into place Alignment might not be absolutely perfect but should be within 2 5 degrees Install the screw again ensuring the horn...

Page 36: ...n in the image to the left Remove and keep the screw holding the horn in place Ensuring the horn is in exactly this orientation pull it up and off the servo Repeat for the second servo Keep the center screws as they will be needed in subsequent steps Do not remove the horn from the 645 servo RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 35 ...

Page 37: ...re part of the servo hardware attachment bag Note that the included spring should be placed between the washer and the servo and oriented vertically as shown Optional pass the wire between the servo and the lower bracket so it exits at the rear RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 36 ...

Page 38: ...Step C4 Install the remaining three M3 screws nuts and washers as shown RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 37 ...

Page 39: ...d washer placing the spring between the washer and the servo Do not connect the two springs together yet easier to manipulate the arm Optional pass the wire between the servo and the bracket so it exits at the rear RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 38 ...

Page 40: ...Step C6 Install the other three M3 screws washers and nuts One is more hidden and harder to install but take your time RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 39 ...

Page 41: ...st using four M3 screws M3 washers and M3 nuts the servo hardware mounting kit Optional Pass the servo wire between the sero and the multipurpose bracket so it exits at the rear RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 40 ...

Page 42: ...Step C8 New sub assembly Install the 225 servo in the medium duty wrist rotate bracket using four M3 screws nuts and washers RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 41 ...

Page 43: ...orn Orientation of the wrist rotation servo servo should be as the image below if not the wrist rotation will be reversed So far none of the horns have been attached to the brackets This is intentional since the next steps are to ensure they are centered RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 42 ...

Page 44: ... to extension always yellow to yellow red to red black to black 485 in base No extension cables 805BB in shoulder No extension cables 755HB in elbow 6 extension cable 645MG in wrist 12 extension cables 225MG wrist rotate 12 and 6 or 2x 12 extension cables 422HB in gripper 12 and 6 extension cables RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 43 ...

Page 45: ...s shown Pin 0 485 servo in the base Pin 1 805 servo in the shoulder Pin 2 755 servo in the elbow Pin 3 645 servo in the wrist Pin 4 422 servo in the gripper NOT the wrist rotate Pin 5 225 servo in the wrist rotate Once again verify that the yellow wire remains yellow all the way to the SSC 32U and connects to the Pulse pin RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 44 ...

Page 46: ...utomatically detect and download the appropriate drivers If there are any issues the drivers can be downloaded and installed here http www ftdichip com Drivers VCP htm Note that the SSC 32 Servo Sequencer works only on Windows operating systems Step D4 Download and install the free SSC 32 Servo Sequencer Software from RobotShop http www robotshop com en ssc 32 servo sequencer utility html Code RB ...

Page 47: ...sociated with the SSC 32 or choose AUTO 3 The green FOUND light on screen should become solid 4 The servos might rotate quickly if they are not centered Step D6 Activate servos 4 and 5 within the software by pressing each checkbox RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 46 ...

Page 48: ...00 and powered you can now connect the horns to the brackets starting with the gripper Use the same screw which you had removed from the 225MG servo Align the gripper as shown and press it onto the 225 servo spline The screw is secured through the hole in the gripper In the software move the slider associated with servo 5 to see the wrist rotate RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Cana...

Page 49: ...es to open and close the gripper is very important The arms should close around the central shaft to close the gripper In the software move the slider associated with servo 4 to see the open and close Gripper closing Take care with the orientation of the arms RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 48 ...

Page 50: ...ipper Use the same screw which you had removed from the 225MG servo Align the gripper as shown and press it onto the 225 servo spline The screw is secured through the hole in the gripper In the software move the slider associated with servo 5 to see the wrist rotate RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 49 ...

Page 51: ...irection which the horn rotates to open and close the gripper is very important The arms should close around the central shaft to close the gripper In the software move the slider associated with servo 4 to see the open and close RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 50 ...

Page 52: ...racket parallel to the elbow wrist tube as shown Two holes in the 645 servo s horn should align with two holes in the bracket Use two 2 x tapping screws to fix it in place Move the slider corresponding to servo 3 to see the range of motion RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 51 ...

Page 53: ...r to the elbow wrist tube as shown Two holes in the 755 servo s horn should align with two holes in the bracket Use two 2 x tapping screws to fix it in place Move the slider corresponding to servo 2 to see the range of motion RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 52 ...

Page 54: ...Step D11 With the 805 still powered and centered use two 4 x steel Phillips head tapping screws to fix the bracket to the servo horn RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 53 ...

Page 55: ...E Cleanup Mounting RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 54 ...

Page 56: ... off switch close the software and disconnect the USB cable and power cable The next step is to rout the wires cleanly ensuring that all joints have their full range of motion RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 55 ...

Page 57: ...e through the cutout so the base can lay flat on the surface and verify that it isn t being pinched You can use the included 4 x 500 tapping screws i e wood screws as part of the base rotate hardware bag to secure the assembly to wood Step E3 Carefully bend the wrist servo back as far as it will go and use zip ties to secure the servo cables as shown Make sure to leave slack in the gripper servo c...

Page 58: ...s an art so before fixing the tie wraps permanently in place try a few different ways to route the wires and always ensure each joint can rotate its full range Step E5 Once the wires have been cleaned up to your satisfaction you can now connect the two springs together The springs act to help the shoulder servo support the load RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 57 ...

Page 59: ...wer to the arm and connect the SSC 32U to the computer via USB You can turn the arm ON Position it in a semi retracted position similar to the image below RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 58 ...

Page 60: ...RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 59 ...

Page 61: ... to a position which is different than the image below and it seems the servos want to move the arm to a position which is physically blocked cut power Step E8 Choose the COM port associated with the SSC 32U from the drop down The COM port will only be available when the arm is turned ON The Bluetooth icon simply changes the baud rate to 9600 Press the Bluetooth icon The arm should snap into place...

Page 62: ...de The arm will move to a new position All servos should be at 1500 centered If a joint seems slightly off by a few degrees use the calibration knobs which have appeared on screen These knobs are only good for a few degrees of offset RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 61 ...

Page 63: ...ket with the horn still attached away from the servo Reposition the assembly to the desired position and gently press the horn back onto the servo and replace the screw Step E10 Familiarize yourself with the FlowArm software by pressing the i information button To close the information overlay press the i button again RobotShop Inc 305 18005 Lapointe Mirabel Quebec Canada J7J0G2 62 ...

Page 64: ...e lifting the object it is likely too heavy We have tested the arm to hold at most 10oz at full reach without any additional products such as the wrist rotate upgrade installed on the arm which decreases the payload The lift capacity increases as the load is closer to the base but depends on the configuration of the arm Operating Time RC servo motors are not meant to operate for extended periods o...

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