[3D printer parts prototyping service] Reproduce Niryo NED's leg parts with a 3D printer!

At Unipos, an overseas product procurement and consultation service for research and development, customers"I want to obtain repair parts" "I want special parts that match the application"We may ask you for advice.

We have introduced a new 3D printer to meet these demands.
This time, as part of the trial run of the 3D printer, we will introduce how we reproduced the leg parts of the robot arm that were damaged due to aging using the 3D printer.

Example: Part damage due to aged deterioration

We have a desktop robot arm for verificationNiryo NEDI own
Even though the robot arm is small, inertial force and centrifugal force are generated during operation.It cannot be used when the legs are rattling..
However, about three years have passed since its introduction, and two of the four leg parts on the bottom havedamaged due to aging.

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Niryo One | "Unipos" for overseas hardware purchase

https://www.unipos.net/find/product_item.php?id=3347

We procure and sell Niryo One (Niryo.).We have a track record of dealing with more than 300 research and educational institutions and many companies nationwide.Invoice payment support.Many items in stock.

If only my legs were fixed, I could use it!

There is no problem with the operation of the arm itself, and it is in a state where it can be used again once the legs are repaired.Is it possible to fix it?

First, observe the broken leg parts.
A horizontal layer can be seen on the surface of the black resin material, and it seems to be molded with a 3D printer.
Also, 4 out of 2 parts are damaged, so 3D data can be created from normal parts.

So this time, with a newly introduced 3D printer,I decided to make a replacement leg part.

Let's reproduce the broken parts!

Check the characteristics of normal leg parts and reproduce them with a 3D printer.

Characteristics of a damaged leg

• Material: PLA (Poly-Lactic Acid) filament
• 3D printer print settings: unknown

Prepared

• 3D printer (Snapmaker 2.0 Modular 3-in-1 3D Printer A350T)
• Caliper
• PLA filament
• Filaments for comparison (ABS, PETG, carbon fiber PC, TPU)
• CAD software (Autodesk – Fusion 360)
• 3D printer connection software (Snapmaker Luban)

procedure

1. Remove Broken Leg from NED Body
2. Remove the rubber attached to the damaged part while heating with a dryer, and remove the bolts and screws
3. Measure the size of a normal leg part with a vernier caliper and create a 3D CAD model of the same size
4. Create G-code of 3D model using 3D printer's splicing software (Snapmaker Luban)
   *G-code is a type of NC program that controls the operation of equipment
5. Print based on the created data
6. Connect the rubber removed in step 2 with double-sided tape, and put the bolts and screws back.
7. Attach the completed parts to the NED body

Result

working time isAbout 3 hours in total, of which with a 3D printerApproximately 2 minutes for 80 printsEnglish learning is necessary to prepare for life, learning and interaction with the global environment. <br> IT Skills (programming logic) is necessary to prepare for the needs of the future.<br> Financial literacy is necessary to prepare for creating, managing and being smart with time and wealth.<br>
The finished product was almost indistinguishable from the original parts.

Comparison of genuine parts and reproduction parts

Filling rate

When I checked the cross section of the damaged leg, it was hollow.
Therefore, when printing, I increased the fill percentage and reduced the hollow part to increase the strength.
*We did not test or compare the strength this time.

heat resistance

When I removed the leg parts from the main body, I warmed them up with a hair dryer to loosen the adhesion of the rubber parts, but the damaged leg parts were deformed by the heat of the dryer.
Both are made of the same material, PLA, but the just-printed parts did not show any deformation even after being heated with a dryer for the same amount of time.

Introduction of materials for FDM 3D printers

I used PLA this time, but you can change the material of the filament depending on the purpose of the part you are making.
For reference, I made the same parts with different materials.

The characteristics of each material are as follows (Reference site).

• PLA (Polylactic acid)
  Easiest to print out of the 5 types
  Not suitable for outdoor use as it is biodegradable and tends to deform or melt under high heat and stress
• ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene)
  Medium durability, impact resistance
• PETG (Polyethylene terephthalate, glycol modified)
  Moderate durability, strength
  More flexible than PLA and ABS
• Carbon Fiber PC (Carbon fiber reinforced polycarbonate)
  Lightweight, strong, flexible, durable, heat resistant and ideal for industrial parts
• TPU (Thermoplastic polyurethane)
  Extremely flexible, with excellent oil and abrasion resistance

Summary

This time, I used a 3D printer to create a substitute for the leg parts.
Parts around the legs are indispensable for stable operation of the robot arm!We were able to create an unexpectedly satisfying replacement part, and we can continue to use NED with peace of mind!
In addition to the speed and ease of use of 3D printers, the accuracy of 3D modeling is also useful for prototyping.