SunFounder Rollarm User manual

Preface
About SunFounder
SunFounder is a technology company focused on Raspberry Pi and Arduino open
source community development. Committed to the promotion of open source culture,
we strive to bring the fun of electronics making to people all around the world and
enable everyone to be a maker. Our products include learning kits, development
boards, robots, sensor modules and development tools. In addition to high quality
products, SunFounder also offers video tutorials to help you build your own project. If
you have interest in open source or making something cool, welcome to join us! Visit
www.sunfounder.com for more!
About This Kit
The Rollarm Kit for Arduino is designed for mass hobbyists to learn robot arm control.
With the open source MCU Arduino UNO and a servo expansion board, the robot arm
is easy to use and full of fun. You can control its four axes by the 4 potentiometer on
the handle, as well as make them move by operating on your computer. In addition, it
can memorize the movements it's made and repeat again and again, making it a great
tool for repeated tasks.
In this book, you can learn the basics of how a mechanical arm works and how to make
one piece by piece. For more information, please go to our website
www.sunfounder.com and find the tutorial under LEARN -> Get tutorials.Also video
tutorials about the assembly and playing are provided under VIDEO -> Robot Kit ->
Rollarm V2.0.
Free Support
If you have any TECHNICAL questions, add a topic under FORUM section on our
website and we'll reply as soon as possible.
For NON-TECH questions like order and shipment issues, please send an email to
[e-mail]'re also welcomed to share your projects on
FORUM.
Reprint 2.0

Contents
Introduction..................................................................................................................................1
Components List......................................................................................................................... 2
Structural Plate................................................................................................................... 2
Mechanical Fasteners........................................................................................................3
Electronic Components....................................................................................................5
Tools...................................................................................................................................... 6
Self-Provided Components.............................................................................................6
How to control.............................................................................................................................7
Getting Started with Software.................................................................................................8
Downloading Codes..........................................................................................................8
Install Arduino IDE.............................................................................................................9
Assembly..................................................................................................................................... 13
Base Bottom + Circuit Board........................................................................................13
Base Upper Plate + Servo............................................................................................. 14
Base Fixing Plate + Base Upper Plate........................................................................ 15
Installing Servo Rocker Arm......................................................................................... 16
Base + Joint 1 Connecting Plate................................................................................. 17
Joint 1 + Joint 2 + Joint 3............................................................................................. 20
Control the Rollarm..................................................................................................................25
Manual Control................................................................................................................ 25
Record behavior............................................................................................... 27
Code Explanation............................................................................................. 28
PC Control (Labview)...................................................................................................... 31
Installing Labview Software...........................................................................31
Upload the Code.............................................................................................. 32
Using the Software.......................................................................................... 34

1
Introduction
The Rollarm Kit is an interesting and useful learning tool for Arduino and robot
hobbyists. With the structural plate and code based on Arduino, it enables users to
learn programming from easy to difficult, control the mechanical arm freely and
perform various fun operations!
This fun mechanical arm consists of 4 axes, each controlled by a servo. Powered by a
9V battery, the control systems is composed of SunFounder Uno board, servo
extension board with remote control. The kit includes all necessary components like
structural plate, circuit boards, and connector parts. For your better learning,
installation and debugging video tutorials are provided on our website. Also you can
download the user manual which elaborates on the installation procedures and
program explanation. With these resources, you can quickly and effortlessly make
creative projects with the Rollarm. Now let's go to get the fun!

2
Components List
Structural Plate

3
Mechanical Fasteners
Name
Parts
Qty.
M1.5*5
Self-tapping Screw
10
M2*8 Screw
10
M2 Nut
10
M2 Self-locking Nut
4
M3*6 Screw
2
M3*10 Screw
10
M3*12 Screw
4
M3 Nut
12

4
M3 Self-locking Nut
2
M7 Thin Nut
4
3*10*1Washer
1
M3*12 Aluminum
Tube
1
φ3*φ8*2.5 Band
Edge Bearing
1

5
Electronic Components
Name
Parts
Qty.
SF006C Servo
4
Potentiometer Button
4
Button
1
SunFounder UNO
Board
1
Expansion Board
1

6
USB Type-B Cable
1
3M Non-skid pad
4
Cable Spiral Wrap
2
Cable Clip
2
Tools
Phillips Screw Driver
1
Cross Socket Wrench
1
Self-Provided Components
9V battery
1

7
How to control
1. Install Arduino IDE
2. Assemble the Rollarm (Remember to configure the servos before assembly. Pay
attention to the detailed operations)
3. Control with handle: download the Rollarm package and run the program
(Indispensable step before operating the Rollarm)
4. Control with Labview: download the Labview to your PC and install for control
(download is a must-do before subsequent operating)
Let’s get started. Enjoy!

8
Getting Started with Software
Downloading Codes
Go to LEARN->Get tutorials->Robot Kit-> DIY Control Robot Arm kit for
Arduino-Rollarm and download the package

9
Install Arduino IDE
Arduino is an open source platform that applies simple software and hardware. You
can get it in a short even when you know little of it. It provides an integrated
development environment (IDE) for code editing and compiling, compatible with
multiple control boards. So you can just download the Arduino IDE, upload the
sketches (i.e. the code files) to the board, and then you can see experimental
phenomena. For more information, refer to http://www.arduino.cc.
The code in this kit is written based on Arduino, so you need to install the IDE first. Skip
it if you have done this.
Step 1: Go to the arduino.cc website and click Download. On the page, check the
software list on the right side under Download the Arduino Software.
Find the one that suits your operation system and click to download. There are two
versions of Arduino for Windows: Installer or ZIP file. You're recommended to
download the former.

10
Step 2: Double click the exe. file and the following window will show up. Click I Agree.
The following interface will show up.
Choose Next.

11
Click Browse to choose the installation path or enter a directory at the Destination
Folder.
Click Install.
The following interface will show up.
Note: After the installing progress bar goes to the end, the Close button may be
enabled for some PC. Just click it to complete the installation.

12
Then a prompt appears. Select Always trust software for "Adafruit Industries" and click
Install.
Select “Always trust software for Arduino srl" and click Install.
After the installation is done, click Close. Then an Arduino icon will appear on the
desktop:

13
Assembly
Base Bottom + Circuit Board
1) Align the hole position of the UNO
board with the four hole positions of the
plate ① and place it up. Use four M3x12
screws to pass through the four holes,
then use a screw driver to tighten the nut
to the other side.
Note: The screws should not be too tight,
to avoid damage to the board.
2) The effect is as follows:
3) Align the pin headers of the expansion
board with the sockets of the UNO board.
4) Insert the pin headers into the
sockets.

14
Base Upper Plate + Servo
1) Align the servo with the slot of the
plate ② with the rotating axis close to
the middle line of the plate ②.
2) Insert the servo into the slot.
3) Place two M2 self-locking nuts above
the hole of the servo and insert two
M2 x 8 screws on the other side.
4) Tighten with sleeve and screw driver
as follows.

15
Base Fixing Plate + Base Upper Plate
1) Align the hole of the plate ① with
the bulges of the plate ②.
2) Insert the bulges into the holes.
3) Place the M3 nuts in the hole in the
plate ②.Insert M3 x 10 screws through
the plate into the nut and fasten them
with the screw driver.
4) Fix the other screws in the same way.
5) Sticking four non-skid pads onto the corners of the plate ①.

16
Installing Servo Rocker Arm
1) Align the 2-arm rocker arm with the
hole of the plate ③.Insert two M1.5*5
self-tapping screws into the hole of the
plate through the rocker arm, fasten
them with the screw driver.
2) The effect is as follows:
3) Similarly, fix a 1-arm rocker arm on the plate ⑦.

17
Base + Joint 1 Connecting Plate
Before installing the rocker arms for each servo, you need to adjust the
servo. If you skip this step and finish assembling and power the product,
the servo may appear to block or be damaged, you may even need to
disassemble the robot from this step to reassemble it!
Step 1: Insert the servo wires into D4, connect the Servo Control Board to the PC via
the USB cable, and the PC will automatically install the driver. The COM port connected
will appear.
Connect the yellow, red, and brown wire to S, V, and G port as shown above.
Step 2: Connect the Rollarm to your computer with the Type-B cable: the driver will be
installed automatically at that time, then you can see COMxx in device manager.

18
Step 3: Go to the folder DIY Control Robot Arm kit for Arduino-Rollarm/Arduino
Code/Servo and open the file Servo.ino.
Step 4: Select the Board.
And Port