sparkfun RedBot Assembly Manual

RedBot Assembly Guide a learn.sparkfun.com
tutorial
Available online at: http://sfe.io/t174
Contents
Introduction
**Wheel Encoder Screws**
Motors
Ball Caster
**RedBot Wheel Encoder**
RedBot Line Followers
Wheels
Standoffs
Battery Holder
RedBot MainBoard Standoffs
Jumper Wires
**RedBot Mechanical Bumpers**
**Adding the Bumpers**
Top Chassis
RedBot Mainboard
RedBot Accelerometer
**RedBot Buzzer**
RedBot Mainboard Hook-up
Batteries
Resources and Going Further
Introduction
The RedBot is robotic development platform capable of teaching basic robotics and sensor
integration! Based on the SparkFun RedBoard and programmable in the Arduino environment, the
RedBot has all the I/O you need to make a small robot in no time at all.
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Materials

This tutorial will cover how to install all the parts you received with your RedBot Kit, PLUS it will go

over how to install a few extra parts NOT included with the kit. These parts include:

RedBot Wheel Encoder

RedBot Buzzer

RedBot Mechanical Bumper

Again, you do not need these parts to assemble your RedBot, but they will be present throughout

this guide. Please ignore any instances of said extra sensors should you not need to assemble

them. Sections pertaining strictly to these extra parts will be marked with asterisks.

If you are installing one or all of these extras, you may also want to get a few more jumper wires.

Along with everything listed above, you will also need 4x AA batteries to power your RedBot.

Suggested Tools

Needle Nose Pliers

Screwdriver Set

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Suggested Reading

Before you go any further, you should probably make certain that you're familiar with the RedBot:

Getting Started with the RedBot

**Wheel Encoder Screws**

We will be placing screws that will later hold the RedBot Sensor - Wheel Encoder to the bottom

chassis.

**If you do not have a RedBot Sensor - Wheel Encoder, you will want to skip this section and move

on to the Motors section on this Assembly Guide. **

Locate the following:

1x Bottom Chassis Piece

2x 4-40 3/8" Phillips Screws

2x 4-40 Hex Nuts

There are different types of screws in this kit. Make sure you use the 4-40 screws and nuts for the

RedBot Wheel Encoder. The 4-40 screws and nuts are packaged with the RedBot Sensor - Wheel

Encoder.

Locate the two positions on the bottom chassis piece where the 4-40 screws will go. In this step, it

doesn't matter what side you use, since both sides of the chassis are indential.

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Place one of the 4-40 screw through the chassis piece in the correct location. This side of the

chassis piece will now be your bottom side.

Tightly screw down the 4-40 hex nut on the top side of the chassis piece to hold the 4-40 screw

down.

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Place the second 4-40 screw and nut in the second located position on the chassis piece. You will

want to place the 4-40 screw through the bottom side of the chassis. Then screw in the 4-40 nut on

the top side of the chassis.

Motors

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In this section, you will be placing the two motors on the bottom side of the bottom chassis piece. If

you are using the RedBot Sensor - Wheel Encoder, please play close attention to what chassis

side you are placing the motors on.

Locate the following:

1x Bottom Chassis Piece

4x Motor Holders

2x Motors

4x M3*30 Screws

4x M3 Nuts

2x Encoder Wheels

Locate the correct location on the bottom chassis piece.

Place one of the motor holders through the right opening in the chassis. If you are using the RedBot

Sensor - Wheel Encoder, make sure you are on the top side of the chassis piece. The top side will

have the 4-40 hex nuts showing.

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Push the motor holder all the way down.

If you did not install the encoder screws from the previous section, you can ignore the screws in

these photos.

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Place the first motor on the bottom side of the chassis piece. Line up the two motor holes with the

two motor holder holes. Make sure that the red wire is on top and away from the chassis piece.

If you are adding wheel encoders to your RedBot, do so now. If not, ignore the encoder (the red

gear looking piece) in the following pictures. Make sure the encoder wheel fits in the chassis

opening without touching the opening's sides.

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Now you can add the second motor holder on the opposite side of the motor.

Place M3*30 screw through the two motor holders and the motor. The M3*30 screw head should be

on the outside edge side of the chassis.

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Add a M3 nut to the M3*30 screw. Do not tighten down the nut all the way yet.

Add the second M3*30 screw and M3 nut to the second hole openings. Now you can tighten both

nuts. It helps to hold the nut steady and turn the screw with the screwdriver, threading the

screw into the nut.

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Using the same steps as above, you can now add the second motor on the opposite end on the

same bottom side of the chassis piece. You might find it helpful to add the encoder wheel to the

motor before placing the motor in the correct spot.

Ball Caster

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In this section, you will be adding the ball caster to the bottom side of your bottom chassis piece.

Locate the following:

4x M3*6 Screws

2x L25 Metal Standoffs

1x Ball Caster

There are different types of screws in this kit. Make sure you use the M3*6 screws for this section.

Place a M3*6 screw through one of the ball caster's holes. The screw's head should be on the

same side as the ball caster's metal ball. Then screw in one of the L25 standoffs to the ball caster.

Please note: the L25 metal standoffs will be longer then the L10 metal standoffs.

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Using a M3*6 screw, screw on the second L25 standoff on the other side of the ball caster.

Locate the two positions on the chassis piece where you will be screwing down the ball caster.

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Now you can use two M3*6 screws to tighten down the ball caster to the bottom side of the chassis

piece. The ball caster should be on the same chassis side as the motors.

**RedBot Wheel Encoder**

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**If you are not using the RedBot Sensor - Wheel Encoder, you may skip to the next section. **

If you are using the RedBot Sensor - Wheel Encoder, in this section you will be tightening down the

RedBot Sensor - Wheel Encoder to the bottom chassis piece.

Locate the following:

1x RedBot Sensor - Wheel Encoder

2x 4-40 Hex Nuts

With the six pin male header side on the RedBot Sensor - Wheel Encoder facing upwards, place

down the encoder on the top side of the bottom chassis piece. Pay close attention that the six pin

male header side is also closest to the front side of the chassis. Using two 4-40 hex nuts, tighten

down the RedBot Sensor - Wheel Encoder on the top side of the bottom chassis piece in the same

location in the earlier "Wheel Encoder Screws" section in this assembly guide.

RedBot Line Followers

In this section, you will be putting standoffs on the RedBot Sensor - Line Followers. Then you will

add the sensors on your chassis.

Locate the following:

3x Line Followers

3x 4-40 1" Phillips Screw

3x 4-40 1/4" Phillips Screw

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6x 4-40 Nylon Standoffs

Screw a 4-40 1" Phillips screw to the plastic standoff through one of the RedBot Sensor - Line

Followers. Make sure to tighten the standoff on the line follower's header side. The top of the screw

should be on the same side as the RedBot Sensor - Line Follower's sensor. Do this for the other

two RedBot Sensor - Line Followers.

You should see part of the 4-40 1" Phillips screw sticking out.

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You will screw on another standoff on top of the one already on the screw. The screw's end should

now be covered as pictured below.

Do this for all other two RedBot Sensor - Line Followers.

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Locate three spots on the chassis where you will be adding the RedBot Sensor - Line Followers.

Place a 4-40 1/4" Phillips screw through the top side of the chassis piece. Tighten down the

standoff with a RedBot Sensor - Line Follower into bottom chassis piece. The RedBot Sensor - Line

Follower should be on the bottom side of the chassis piece. The headers on the RedBot Sensor -

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Line Follower should be pointing in towards the chassis.

Using your other two 4-40 1/4" Phillips screws, hand tighten the other two RedBot Sensor - Line

Followers in the suggested locations.

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Wheels

In this section, you will be putting two wheels on the RedBot motors.

Locate the following:

2x Wheels

Place the two tires on the ends of the motors.

Make sure the tires are on all the way.

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sparkfun RedBot Assembly Manual

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