For this project, the client designed an addition to their UR-10 robot, consisting of meshing gears that would lock together, and disengage via linear slides. Unfortunately they did not design this for machinibilty, and therefore could not get any standard machine shops to take on the project. With seemingly impossible to achieve tolerances, and 20+ hour run times on some parts, the project was one that truly gave me a few weeks of headaches. The main issue was due to tight tolerances between the slot features in the back of the steel gear, and the protrusions of the aluminum housing. The gear had to be nearly perfectly even on all 7 of its sliding slot surfaces, and the housing needed to match on its 7 protruding slides. Once matched, the gear needed to be able to slide up and down with with zero hangups, the slightest of which would cause the mechanism to bind and not engage.

Sliding mesh gear

Testing the sliding mechanism to ensure gears lock in properly

Shot of the CAD assembly

Testing the Shoulder Housing

Gears, arms, shoulder and elbow housings, caps, etc

Gears, arms, shoulder and elbow housings, caps, etc

More Assembly and gear lock testing

Full Arm Assembly