Foki 3D printed project

[robothut]

OK a lot of you thought my next project would be something even more complex with more servos and more programing chips. Nope I wanted too do a project that was basic and simple and lower cost. But it still had to interest me. Having done Foki in the past as a scale reproduction and as R-1 robot conversions I was not thrilled about making Foki my next project until I decided that making the robot operate from a single AA battery with lit eyes , walking action , cheep and with a long run time, well that would make it interesting for me.

So here is a you tube of the first batch marching around.

 

 

[kennetzel]

Very nice. I was thinking of passing on these. But after seeing the video, I may be second thinking that idea.

[robothut]

So to do this I needed two things a gear motor that would run on low voltage with low current draw and a circuit that could boost the 1.5 volts up so that LEDs could be lit . I found a GM7 gear motor from SolarBotics that starts running as low as 0.58 volts and only draws about 50ma in my application. and then I found two solutions for the LED booster circuit. The first is a simple circuit you can build for cheep that is called a  joule thief . You do have to wind a simple transformer but the circuit will operate from votages below 1 volt. The one I build was able to produce up too 60 ma of current, way more than I wanted for 2 LEDs. if any of you want to build and play with the circuit you can goggle it or here is a drawing from the web.

[chilli]

Just brilliant, I like the simpler things in life. Would love to see your next robot as a wind up.

 

cheers Chilli

[robothut]

In the end I found that having to make a lot of these circuits would not fit my idea of fun so I decided to gut a .97 cent solar yard light from Walmart. The dollar stores have them from time to time as well. In side them you will find that they operate from a single 1.4 volt nicad battery and have a simple voltage up converter chip. They also have battery contacts that I thought might be useable and low the cost of the robot project as I would not have to buy battery holders. The black plastic part that the LEDs and voltage booster are mounted too is designed to fit inside the Foki head and will be held in place with the same 2 screws that hold the ears on.

[robothut]

I made two body types. The standard vintage Foki body and the added detail version. I thought that the space below the chest ark in the front might look good with some 3d details so I set out to make some that are Robby the Robot heart box influenced.

[robothut]

They in the same scale as the original 1960's Daish , "made in Argentina" Foki "El Marcino toy. The top of the body "the shoulders / head" lifts off. Then instead of the two D cells that were used in the original quiz game to light the robots eyes I have the single AA battery in the shoulder and the gear head motor in the body. The blue body and head are not that same as the sky blue used in the Commano jr project, this blue has more green in it so its a turquoise. and the shoulder part is a sea green. White for the arms and the legs and claws are silver / gray. You could paint the silver gray with bright silver paint if you wanted for a very vintage look if you wanted. I will poduce in these colored plastic and painting is up too you.

[robothut]

Here is a picture that shows the motor prep. The motors come with the shaft too one side. We need the shaft to stick out both sides so that the pin walking cam's can be pressed on. So if you decide to build your own "yes I will be putting up 3d build files at some point on thing a verse" do not use a hammer to move the shaft, use a press or vice or large pliers to press the shaft slowly until it sticks out both sides. Then press the 3d printed cams on the same way. And you know if one cam is up then the other must be down if you want the robot too walk.

[robothut]

Electrical assembly.

[robothut]

The wire face part is from a old air filter I had in the shop. I have not found a source for more so far that has this small grid pattern. All the air filter I have seen recently have the same pattern but it on a larger scale. I do know where I can get the same pattern but in thin alluminum. The stuff I am using now is steel and will hold its shape, the alluminum stuff would require a clear plastic back support.

[robothut]

The ears could be made two ways. first if I 3d printed them as used on the robot there would have to be alot of support material and a raft, this would tripple the print time of the part and added a lot of clean up work that would be hard to do on a small think part. So I decided to just 3d print a flat disc of plastic, then using a heat gun I take that part and warm it up and press it in to shape on a simple jig I made. This heating and pressing takes less than 30 seconds and no clean up, no waisted plastic on supports or raft. Thermal forming and 3d printing working together.

[robothut]

The box artwork was by Ken.

[robothut]

A close up of the second body type with the Robby heart box type details.

[Tinplate6]

Ha! I knew it! Great design! I'll take the "special edition"...and the price?

[robothut]

I want to try and sell them for $65.00 total in the continental USA and $75.00 out side. The price includes shipping. Its a experiment that will change if I lose money. But based on what the robot can be built for and what I have learned about shipping the other 3d printed robots I think this might work. But please email me at robothut@yahoo.com if your interested and include your shiiping address ect.

Ok I found this picture that shows the keyed leg mount to the body, makes things very easy for me to assemble.

Also the arms and hands were a single file but that would mean I would have to paint the claws, so I split the file so that the arms could be printed in white and the claws in silver/ gray then glued back together. It also made printing the arms easyer as they could be print vertically with out supports.