Leonardo Turtlebot3 Manual
LEONARDO - Turtlebot3 (Waffle Pi)
Upgrade Kit
A 3D printable, open-source upgrade kit for the Turtlebot3 Waffle Pi from Robotis.
LEONARDO - Turtlebot3 Waffle Pi Upgrade Kit by Travis Guy is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Kit Overview
The Leonardo upgrade kit is intended to increase the overall modularity and usability of the
Turtlebot3. This is a valuable upgrade for anyone looking to improve the physical user
friendliness, durability and modularity of their Turtlebot3 unit. The following list outlines the key
features of the Leonardo Kit.
Kit Features:
Enclosures: Fully 3D printable enclosures for both the Turtlebot3's Raspberry Pi and
OpenCR boards, with solid mounting points.
Solid LIDAR Mount: A 3D printable solid mount for the LDS-01 LIDAR unit.
Improved User Experience Careful consideration was made to relocate both the Raspberry
Pi and OpenCR boards to make their ports more easily accessible. This combined with their
solid mount points makes connecting peripherals and interfacing with the robot much easier
than on the standard model.
Improved Modularity: The Leonardo upgrade kit reimagines the construction of the
Turtelbot3's waffle plate frame, allowing it to be segmented and customized without altering
the original footprint or waffle plate pattern of the robot. This feature allows access to the
large amounts of free space within the Turtlebot3 frame so you can easily add your own
modifications.
Repository Overview
This repository contains all of the files and instructions necessary to upgrade a standard
Turtlebot3 Waffle Pi unit, as well as, the CAD documentation that one would require to add their
own features to this upgrade kit. The following list provides detail on each of the sub-folders
within this directory and where to locate relevant information within them.
Repository Folders:
3D Printing Files: This folder contains all of the necessary STL files for printing the upgrade
kit's parts.
CAD Files: Contained within this folder are the Fusion 360 and neutral .step solid models for
the Leonardo Kit assembly and its sub-assemblies.
Project Log
The Leonardo project is still under active development, which means features will be added to
this repository as time goes on! Refer back to this log to see what is upcoming and what I have
added!
Work In Progress
Custom URDF and mesh files of the Leonardo Kit variant for ROS.
Youtube Assembly/Overview Video
Completed Work
2021/03/26 - Project Inception
Bill of Materials
The following table outlines the items required to complete the Leonardo upgrade:
- CAD Files - Leonardo v80 Master Assemblies
- Assembly Documentation
- STL Files/3D Printing Documentation
Item/Description Qty.
Turtlebot 3 Waffle Pi Kit 1
0.5 ft. Micro USB Cable 1
1 ft. Micro USB Cable 1
M3-0.5 x 8mm - Socket Head Cap Screw 16
M3-0.5 x 16mm - Socket Head Cap Screw 16
M5-0.8 x 8mm - Socket Head Cap Screw 4
Item/Description Qty.
M3-0.5 x 6mm - Pan Head Screw (NYLON) 8
M3-0.5 x 12mm - Pan Head Screw (NYLON) 2
Assembly Instructions
This section outlines the assembly instructions for the Leonardo Upgrade Kit. These
instructions assume that you have purchased all items in the Bill of Materials section and have
3D printed all relevant upgrade parts in accordance with the instructions laid out in the readme of
the 3D Printing Files folder.
Step 1: TB3 First Layer Assembly
The Leonardo upgrade kit uses the "First Layer Assembly" from the standard Turtlebot3 Waffle
Pi. Specific instructions for assembling the "First Layer Assembly" can be found on Pages 16-20
of the Robotis Turtlebot3 Waffle Pi Assembly Manual. Once assembled, the First Layer Assembly
can be set aside until Step 4
Robotis Assembly Manual (Direct Download): https://www.robotis.com/service/download.php?
no=750
Step 2: TB3 Second Layer Assembly
The Leonardo upgrade kit also uses the "Second Layer Assembly" from the standard Turtlebot3
Waffle Pi. Assembly instructions for the "Second Layer Assembly" can be found on Pages 12-13
of the Robotis Turtlebot3 Waffle Pi Assembly Manual. A fully assembled Second Layer is required
before proceeding to Step 3.
Step 3: Second Layer Drill & Tap Locations (Enclosure
Mounting)
In order to attach the Raspberry Pi and OpenCR board enclosures, 6 pre-existing holes must be
modified and 2 new holes must be added on the Second Layer Assembly.
The Step 3 image above indicates the relevant hole locations as well as their respective drill and
tap sizes. The hole locations marked with PINK indicate where a new hole must be drilled. The
location distances for the new holes are denoted on the image above, however, if one wishes to
avoid measuring, the 3D printed lower case of the OpenCR board enclosure can be used as a
template to transfer the hole locations to the waffle plate before drilling.
NOTE: Orientation of the second layer assembly matters from this step onwards. Be sure to
follow the orientation indicators for each subsequent step.
Step 4: Second/Third Layer Standoff Installation
The third layer of the Leonardo upgrade kit is supported by 4 - M3x45mm Standoffs attached to
the second layer assembly. These standoffs are re-purposed hardware from the standard
Turtlebot3 kit and can be obtained from such. 4 - M3x16mm fasteners will be required to attach
the standoffs.
The Step 4 image above indicates the correct installation location of each standoff, before
installation the indicated holes must be drilled out for an M3 free fit (3.15mm or 1/8" Drill).
NOTE: Ensure mounting screws for the standoffs are tightly secured and in the correct positions
before proceeding. Once the second layer assembly is attached to the first, you will loose
convenient access to the screw heads for these standoffs.
Step 5: Second Layer Attachment + Cable Routing
At this stage the Second Layer Assembly created in Step 2 can be attached to the First Layer
Assembly created in Step 1. However, before attachment, the Dynamixel Motor Cables and the
Li-Po Battery Extension Cable from the first layer must be correctly routed through the bottom
of the Second Layer Assembly. The Step 4 image above shows the respective routing locations for
the cables.
A total of 12 - M3x8mm screws will be required to attach the second layer to the first. Socket
head cap screws can be used if you wish, or you can repurpose the Philips head hardware of the
same size from the original Turtlebot3 kit.
Step 6: OpenCR + Raspberry Pi Installation
The OpenCR board and Raspberry Pi can now be installed into their respective enclosure halves
using 8 - M3x6mm Nylon Screws. Once installed the enclosures can be attached to the Second
Layer Assembly using the drilled and tapped holes created in Step 2 of these instructions. The
Step 5 image above shows the required mounting hardware and respective installation locations.
NOTE: The mounting holes on the Raspberry Pi board may need to be enlarged for the M3 Nylon
Screws if you have a brand new board. A 3.15mm or (1/8") drill bit will suffice for this process.
Step 7: OpenCR Board Connections + Bluetooth Module
Installation (BT-410)
Attach the Dynamixel Motor cables and Li-Po Battery Extension cable that were routed
during Step 5 to the OpenCR board. The connection points are indicated by the Green and
Blue arrowed text in the image above.
NOTE: Ensure correct connection of the Dynamixel motors by following the motor ID legend
in the GREEN arrowed text. The motor IDs are indicated below each wheel for quick
reference.
Once the motor and battery connections are made, attach the BT-410 Bluetooth Module to
the second layer assembly. The RED arrowed text above indicates its installation location as
well as connection point on the OpenCR board.
NOTE: The opening highlighted by the RED rectangle can be used to neatly tuck away the
excess cable from the Bluetooth module.
OPTIONAL: If you wish to use the standard Raspberry Pi camera that comes with the
Turtlebot3 kit, now is the easiest time to connect the camera's ribbon cable. The ORANGE
arrowed text above indicates its connection point.
NOTE: It is easy to connect the camera cable backwards, ensure that the camera ribbon
cable is connected in the correct orientation (Contacts on the ribbon cable facing the
contacts on the port.)
Step 8: Enclosure Assembly + Raspberry Pi Power Connection
The top halves of the enclosure cases can now be attached to the assembly. As indicated in
the assembly image above, a total of 8 - M3x16mm fasteners will be required. If you are
using a R-Pi camera, be sure to route the ribbon cable through the pass through opening
indicated above by the YELLOW arrowed text.
Once the enclosure cases are securely installed the 5V power connection between the
OpenCR board and the Raspberry Pi board can be made. This is done using the Raspberry Pi
3 Power Cable from the standard Turtlebot3 kit. The GREEN arrowed text in the image
above indicates the connection points.
NOTE: When connecting the power cable to the Raspberry Pi it is important to connect to the
correct GPIO pins. Ensure that the Positive lead connects to Pin 4 and the Negative lead
connects to Pin 6.
(Refer to Page 23 of the Turtlebot3 Waffle Pi Assembly Manual for connection information.)
Step 9: Third Layer Assembly + Tap & Drill Instructions
The third layer of the Leonardo upgrade requires only two waffle plates from the standard
Turtlebot3 kit. The Step 9 image above shows the manner in which the plates are connected and,
indicates the fastener installation locations.
NOTE: It is important to leave the two M3 fastener locations indicated in the image above empty.
These locations are used for attaching the USB2LDS driver board in the next step.
Once the waffle plates are assembled, and, before proceeding to the next step, a total of 4 pre-
existing holes on the assembly must be modified. The GREEN arrowed text in the Step 9 image
above indicates the relevant holes, as well, their respective drill and tap information.
Step 10: USB2LDS Module Installation
The USB2LDS module from the standard Turtlebot3 kit can now be installed on the underside of
the the third layer assembly. The module requires 2 - M3x12mm Nylon screws that are fastened
through the waffle plates in the fastener locations left empty in Step 9. As indicated in the image
above the assembly also requires the "Adapter Plate" component from the standard Turtlebot3
kit, this component acts as a spacer for the module.
NOTE: The Nylon screws will protrude through the topside of the waffle plates. Use a pair of
flush-cut pliers to trim the excess after the module has been tightly secured.
See the NOTE below before proceeding. Attach the LDS-01 LIDAR unit from the standard
Turltbot3 kit to the mounting bracket using 4 - M3x16mm Socket Screws. Be sure to route the
unit's data cable though the opening highlighted in YELLOW in the image above before fastening.
Once fastened make sure to attach the LDS-01's data cable to the USB2LDS module on the
underside of the layer.
NOTE: The LIDAR unit's mounting holes will have to be modified to accept M3 sized fasteners.
Drill out the 4 indicated mounting holes using a 3.15mm or (1/8") drill bit.
Step 14: Pi Camera Module Installation (Optional)
If you plan on using the standard Pi Camera module that comes with the Turltbot3 kit, it can now
be easily attached to the Third Layer Assembly using the standard M2.5x12mm mounting
hardware that comes with it.
NOTE: See page 30 of the Robotis Turtlebot3 Waffle Pi Assembly Manual for detailed instructions
on assembling the Pi Camera module.
Step 15: USB Connections and Cable Routing
The final steps are to make the USB connections to both the USB2LDS module and the OpenCR
board from the Raspberry Pi unit.
Connect the 0.5ft micro USB cable from the Raspberry Pi unit to the USB2LDS module
beneath the third layer assembly
Connect the 1.0ft micro USB cable from the Raspberry Pi unit to the OpenCR board.
NOTE: The 1.0ft micro USB cable should be routed through the holes highlighted in YELLOW on
the way towards the OpenCR board, this will keep the cable routing tidy and out of the way during
use.
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