Saber

myminifactory

Saber is my take on, and was motivated by, the "Disney Computation Designs of Mechanical Characters" video, "Cyber Tiger" segment (link to video follows below). Standing almost 204mm (8") tall, and when fully extended 304mm (12") long (from head to toe), Saber is quite large, yet it was designed so that it can be printed in smaller components in an effort to allow a wider variety of 3D printers to print it. Saber is the most mechanically detailed thing I've published and is indeed a challenge to print and build, so please don't hesitate to comment if you have questions, problems, complaints, suggestions or whatever, and I'll do my best to address them. I hope you build one, and I hope you enjoy it! Video of Saber prototype is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSYqz6YY63c. Some people have expressed interest in the software I wrote to assist in the design of Saber. A short video of it simulating the front left leg design is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbzAQyXUwXs. Video of Sabers made for friends and clients here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f6ZmdwUVzE. More Sabers here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCFsUsHfFYQ. And last yet certainly not least, the inspirational Disney video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfznnKUwywQ. Designed using my own software (to generate the framework, gear trains, cam, cap, axle and arm motions) and Sketchup Make 2015. The prototype was printed in PLA on a Makerbot Replicator 2 using Makerware 2.3.3.42 "Standard" Settings (.2mm layer height, 2 shells, 10% infill). All subsequent Sabers were printed in PLA on an Ultimaker 2 Extended using Cura default settings. Printing Details Parts I Purchased: 1) Motor: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009N81HES?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00. 2) Coaxial Power Jack: Radio Shack part number 274-1583. 3) 3.0 Vdc Power Supply: Radio Shack part number 273-315 with the "N" style plug 273-345, you get one free with the power supply. Tools and supplies I used: 1) Rubber mallet. 2) Small vise. 3) Flat punch set. 4) Modeling knife. 5) Small files. 6) Sandpaper. 7) Slip joint pliers. 8) Needle nose pliers. 9) Thick cyanoacrylate glue. 10) Cyanoacrylate accelerator. Instructions: Print all pieces as shown in "Assembly.skp" or "Assembly.stl". Test fit and trim, file, sand, etc. all parts as necessary for almost zero effort and no snags, and if not, disassemble and repeat the process, as this is a very important step. Lubricate all moving components with light machine oil. Wire the motor such that it rotates counter clockwise as viewed from the motor shaft. My Sabers run anywhere from 1.5 to 6 VDC. It was designed for use with the selected motor at 3 VDC which minimizes noise while providing good motion. For break in, after lubrication, I ran my prototypes for 2 hours at 6 VDC, then lowered the voltage to 3.0 VDC. They've been running for months now at 3 VDC. Comment if questions, and best of luck with this one! UPDATE: saber.zip contains, I hope, all the Sketchup design files.