Cudatox's Animatronic Tail

thingiverse

This is a comprehensive collection of STL files and OpenSCAD source code necessary for constructing an animatronic tail. The software and source code are licensed for non-commercial use, so please keep this in mind if you plan to create one for personal use. The animatronic tail consists of multiple plastic discs attached to a flexible steel cable that is actuated using cables connected to a servo motor. It was designed to be modular, adjustable, and highly customizable. Most parameters affecting the appearance or motion of the tail can be adjusted in the OpenSCAD scripts, and the design allows for parts to be easily moved, adjusted, or swapped. In addition to 3D printed components, you will need: * A TGY-1501 servo motor (or similar) * Nylon-coated braided wire fishing leader * A steel cable for use as a spine (I used 1/4" vinyl-coated cable, but adjustments may be necessary depending on the chosen material) * Elastic cord (I used 4mm cord, but this is a tweakable parameter) * Thermoset inserts (3mm) * Adhesive for gluing plastic parts together * M3 screws, nuts, washers, and square nuts. I mostly used M3x15 and M3x10 screws, but the specific size will depend on the parameters set in the scripts * A means of controlling the servo motor. I used a custom-made board, but various alternatives are available A set of M3 fasteners will likely be sufficient for this project, but it is recommended to have some extra M3x10 screws and square nuts on hand. Rough assembly instructions: Attach spine disks: Print out as many spine disks as needed, insert a square nut into each disk's rectangular cutout, slide the disks onto the steel cable while keeping control cable holes aligned, insert a screw and tighten down the disks onto the spine. Repeat this process for the end piece, but also insert two square nuts for the cables. Glue belt clip to pulley housing: Use epoxy to attach the belt clip to the top of the pulley housing (see exploded view). Attach pulley to servo: Screw the ROUND servo horn that came with your TGY-1501 servo into the pulley, but do not attach this assembly to your servo yet. You may need to use glue if you cannot find an appropriate screw. Install threaded inserts: There are four M3 screws that hold the lid of the pulley enclosure to the housing. These require thermoset threaded inserts to be installed in the pulley housing (see photos for reference). Install spacer and servo: Position the servo spacer over the servo cutout with the grooved side facing out, place the servo on top of the spacer, and fasten it to the housing. The screw heads should be inside the housing. Attach spine clamp: Insert a square nut into the rectangular cutout in the spine clamp, then screw an M3 screw into the corresponding hole (do not overtighten). Insert two square nuts into the rectangular cutouts on the pulley housing and position the spine clamp onto the pulley housing as shown. Secure it with some M3 screws. Attach spine to housing: Insert the spine into the spine clamp and tighten down the screw until the spine is secured in place (do not over tighten). Pay close attention to the alignment of control cable holes and the holes in the pulley housing. Attach cables: There's a cutout for a nut and a drill for a screw on the pulley. Insert a square nut and loosely tighten a screw into it, securing the cable to the pulley. Take a length of fishing leader, folded in half, and place it over the pulley. Tighten this screw down over it. Feed the ends of the cable through the holes in the housing (the ones that pass through the spine clamp) and check the length of your cables. Attach servo horn: Plug your servo into your servo controller and center it. With the servo centered, orient the pulley so that the screw faces the top of the housing and attach the pulley to the servo using the screw that came with your servo. Tension cables: Feed the cables through the control cable holes in the spine disks. When you reach the end piece, make sure your servo is centered and apply tension to both sides of the cable before tightening down the set screws in the tail end piece that secure the cable. Screw top of housing on and you're done!