What is the total cost of building this robot?
The total cost of components is around 350€. The cost of a 3D printer is not taken into account, since it is assumed that you will have access to one where you can print all the parts.
How much time is required to build this robot arm?
Let’s not be fooled, this is a long project, which may take several weeks or months to complete. For reference, the total printing time is around 200 hours if all parts are printed the first time (which is not usually the case). Once printed, the assembly takes around 10 hours once you know the steps to follow.
So before you get fully into this project, evaluate if you are going to be able to dedicate the time it requires so that it does not end up in the corner of half finished projects.
I have a question, where should I ask it?
The best way to resolve your questions is to post a question in the Get Help section of the forum. Please, before posting your question, check that the question has not already been answered to another user before in order not to duplicate topics.
Where can I find more documentation about this project?
In the Documentation section of this website I have tried to condense all existing project documentation. Also, in the forum you can find additional information.
If that is still not enough for you, you can visit the GitHub repository and its wiki, the project page on Hackaday and the old Google Groups community (now closed).
Where can I download the latest version of Thor?
In the Downloads section you can find the latest (and old) versions of the 3D models, PCB files, firmware and software.
If you are interested in the current development version, it is best to visit each of the repositories and the Development section of the forum.
What are the components used in this project?
There is a bill of materials where you can find the details of each of the components needed to assemble a robot. Purchase links are also provided to make it easier for you to find them.
Where can I buy a kit?
If you don’t have a 3D printer and you want to build a Thor anyway, there are alternatives. The owner of bitfab.io gave a nice quotation, do not hesitate to contact him if you want a kit!
Currently there are no known Thor electronics kit suppliers.
What 3D printer do I need to print it?
A 3D printer with a printing area of 200x200mm is enough to print all parts. If you want to print the Art2Body pieces in one single piece, instead of printing the split ones, you will need a 200x300mm printing area.
What are the robot’s dimensions?
Fully stretched vertically, Thor is 624,15mm tall without the tool. In this picture you can see its dimensions.
How much weight can Thor lift?
Currently, the maximum load I succeeded to lift is 750 grams (including the tool weight). Thor can still lift that load when it’s stretched horizontally, which is the worst case scenario.
How can I contribute to this project?
You can give feedback to the community using the forum, show your progress, share the project, answer other users’ questions, etc.
If you are interested in the development of the project you can also make your own modifications and share them with the community.
Let’s make this greater!
Under what license is this project shared?
All files of the project are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
What I’m allowed to do with the CC-BY-SA license?
As the CC-BY-SA License goes, you are free to share and adapt the material for any purpose, including commercial, as long as all terms of the license are respected.
In any case you must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. If you remix, transform, or build upon the material you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original.
No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use.
Why are is Thor shared for free?
One of the main purposes of this project is to bring people closer to robotics. If the project was shared for free, it would reach more people.
Also, since the project was entirely developed using Open Source tools, it made sense to release it under an Open Source license as well.
The great thing about Open Source projects is that they don’t depend on a single person to progress, anyone can make new changes that push the project forward and that’s great.
What tools have been used in the development of Thor?
These are the software tools I have used:
– FreeCAD: 3D Design
– KiCaD: Electronic PCB Design
– Atom: Code Text Editor
– Cura & Slic3r: Slicing Software
– bCNC: CNC controller
– Gimp & InkSkape: Diagrams & Images
– OBS & Blender: Video Recording & Editing