Setting up hardware

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For setting up the hardware you will need a set of Allen wrenches (metric size preferred). These tools are not included in our shipping. You have to obtain it yourself.

Setup the base (single-arm, dual-arm or base-only system)

Hardware setup

Setting up the base is straight forward. Follow these steps:

  • To connect the battery remove the left cover and push the battery into its slot until the lock snaps into place. After that plug the connector.
Connecting the battery
Connecting the battery
  • To mount the tray, the distance holders should be fixed before. Put the tray on the distance holder and tighten it evenly.
showing the distance holders
mounting the tray
  • Plug the external power supply with the connector on the top of the base.
Plug the external power supply

Turn on power

Press the "ON/OFF"-button for a few seconds to turn on the power for the system. An orange light on the display will indicate that the System has been powered on successfully. If you press the ON/OFF-button again for a few seconds, you can turn off an on other systems of the robot. In older youBot versions the PC and motors are started simultaneously, however in newest youBots you have to turn on PC and motors separately.

NOTE: In some versions you have to turn on the internal PC, before you can completely power off the robot. After the PC is powered on you can turn on the complete system. But you have to press the ON/OFF button for about 5 seconds. If you press the ON/OFF Button for a shorter time, only the internal PC will be turned on. In this case, you have to re-start the PC again (by pressing the power button for a few seconds) and only after that you can switch off the complete power by pressing the power button for a longer time.

ON/OFF button

That's it. The hardware of the base is ready now. For installing the software on the integrated PC see Installing remastered Ubuntu

Setup a manipulator with base

This section will describe how to setup an arm on a base. Installing a second arm is quite the same.

  • If you haven't set up the base already please refer to the chapter

" setup the base".

  • Mount the arm on the base and tighten the screws evenly.
Mounting the arm on base
  • Connecting the etherCAT cable. Connect the "etherCAT1" interface of the base with the right etherCAT interface of the arm. If you have a second arm, use the "etherCAT2" interface to connect it with the right etherCAT interface of the 2nd arm.
Connecting the etherCAT cable
  • Connect the power cable. There are two 24V output connectors. You can use each of it.
Connecting the power cable
  • If you need more space, especially when you ordered a dual arm system, you can change the orientation of the power cable as follows

- Remove the black fastening of the connector by unscrewing it. Then pull off the metal cover.

Unscrewed black fastening and removed metal cover
PowerCableMetalCover.jpg

- Rotate the connector to the position which you need.

Rotate the connector

- Reassemble the connector like in the following picture. Just the other way round and plug the connectors.

Adjusted power cable: left = before; right = after
RotatedPowerCable.jpg
  • Plug the external power supply
External power supply
  • Turn on the power of the system by pressing a few seconds the ON/OFF button. For more information about turning on/off the youBot see " Turn on power".
  • Activate the arm. The arm has its own power button. After turning on the power of the system, you also have to switch on the arm explicitly. Press the red button to activate the arm.
Activating the arm. Before activating the arm the button will glow red
Activating the arm. After activating the arm the button will get green

That's it. For installing the software on the integrated PC see Installing remastered Ubuntu

Setup a standalone manipulator

This section will describe how to set up a standalone manipulator

  • Fix the arm, so that it can not fall down and has a lot of space to range.
  • Connect a network cable with the etherCAT interface of the arm on the right side . Connect the other side of the cable with the ethernet interface on your PC, which you will use to control the arm.
Connect the ethernet cable
  • Connect the external power supply
External power supply
  • Turn on/off the arm. To turn on the power of the arm, just press the red button. It will get green, which indicates that the arm is activated. To turn off the manipulator just press the button again.
Red button indicates off. Press it to turn on the arm.
Green button indicates on. Press it to turn it off


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