Heathkit Hero 1 Shoulder Repair

thingiverse

Heath Company initiated the HERO 1 project in October 1979, unveiling its first units in 1982. The robot, a technological marvel for its time, resembles R2D2. However, plastic components become brittle with age, making replacement parts scarce and costly. Fortunately, Gyrobot designed and printed a shoulder repair piece that fits over the original arm, creating a new interface with Heathkit Hero's shoulder. This repair addresses a common breakage area due to higher stress on aged plastic. The Museum of Computing in Swindon tested the design and fit. To install, print the STL file twice with support, fasten each half over the affected area using screws, and clamp onto the metal hexagonal shoulder interface. This unobtrusive repair restores functionality to the robot, enabling it to compete once again in arm wrestling matches.