Easy Instructions

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

Part 1

In the first part, you attach the GP2D12 detectors to the stamped aluminum pieces. There are three such assemblies and all the pieces for this step can be found in Bag One of your kit. Note where the connector is located on the GP2D12 detector in the diagram below.

Step 1

Start by inserting the screw first through the stamped aluminum piece. Next, add the flat nylon washer, the nylon spacer, and one end of the GP2D12 detector. Finally, add the lock washer and the hex nut but don't tighten this side yet, leave it loose.

Step 2

Now repeat these steps with the other side of the detector. The detector should seat in the square hole in the aluminum piece.

Step 3

Now tighten up both sides moderately tight, but take care not to tighten the screws too tight. The GP2D12 detector is somewhat fragile and only needs to be held in place.

A view of how these pieces should go together.

These three sub-assemblies should use up all the parts from Bag One. It is possible that Bag One was ripped by one of the stamped aluminum pieces in transit. If so, you may find some of the pieces for this step in the box if they are not in the bag.

The three completed sub-assemblies.

Contents

Part 2

In this part, you will assemble the chassis frame for the Robot. The parts you will need for this step are the three sub-assemblies from the previous step and hardware from Bag Two of your kit. You will also need a small phillips head screwdriver.

Step 4

Position the three sub-assemblies from step one on the table in a hexagonal shape like this:

Step 5

Bolt these three pieces together. Start with the screw through each aluminum piece, then the washer, and finish with the hex nut. Don't tighten these yet, just put them together. You will tighten them later, after the servos have been installed.

Detail of sub-assembly bolting.

Contents

Part 3

In this part, you will add the servos to the robot. This part requires the frame from the previous section, hardware from Bag Two, and the servos from your kit box.

Step 6

Bolt each of the three servos into place in the chassis using a 1/4" screw, lockwasher, and hex nut. Note that the servos are offset in the chassis and you want to end up with the servo horn nearest the center of the face in the hexagon where the servo mounts.

Detail of Servo Mounting

Step 7

Once you get all the servos loosely mounted, set the chassis down on a flat surface upside-down and make sure it lies flat on all three aluminum panels as you tighten up the three chassis screws and the servo mounting screws.

You can set the completed chassis aside for the next step, as you will be working on the top deck.

Contents

Part 4

In this part, you will add the controller and top deck of the robot. This step uses the acrylic deck and fasteners from Bag Two of your kit. You will need a small Phillips head screwdriver.

Step 8

Remove any remaining paper covering from the acrylic deck by peeling it off. We leave it on so the acrylic doesn't scratch in shipping.

Detail of holes used for the Pontech SV203.

Step 9

Locate the top of the acrylic deck. The top is the side where the Palm connector is glued. Attach the Pontech SV203 controller to underside of the acrylic deck with the nylon slotted screws going through top of the deck. On the bottom side, add a nylon washer followed by the 1/4" hexagonal nylon spacer. Tighten these up snugly and then place the SV203 on the three threaded posts that protrude from the spacers. Finally, follow with three lockwashers and three hex nuts. Take care when working with the board as the components are fragile.

Detail of controller attachment

Step 10

Next, attach the deck to the frame you built in previous steps. The controller sits inside the frame and the bent-down tabs in the frame hold the deck in place. Use six 1/4" screws from the top of the deck through the acrylic and the tab. Follow with lockwashers and nuts inside the frame to firmly attach the deck. Again, get all six fasteners started loosely before tightening each.

Now the chassis is complete. Next you will make all the necessary electrical connections. This part should have used all the hardware from Bag Two of your kit. Don't be surprised if there are a few extras. We intentionally added them to cover any missed counts on our part or a lost piece on your part.

Contents

Part 5

In this part, you will make all the electrical connections in the robot. This step uses parts from Bag Three of your kit. There are no tools needed for this step.

Step 11

First, locate the nine 8" wires with crimps on each end. There are three black, three yellow, and three red wires. Each wire has two types of crimps, one on each end. Also locate the three small white connector housings. These connector housings are for the infrared rangers you installed in the frame earlier. Carefully note the diagrams below and plug together the connectors, three wires for each connector.

Make sure your crimp looks like this.

Plug the wires in with these colors.

Step 12

Now, plug these three white housings with the wires attached from the previous step into the GP2D12 detectors mounted in the frame. Take great care when pluging these in as the printed circuit boards on the ranging detectors are extremely fragile. Also, make sure you are plugging the connector in the right orientation. The connector is keyed and can only be plugged in one way.

Between the servo wires and the detector wires, your robot will look a bit like a teenager in the middle of an orthodontist appointment with wires hanging out in all directions. The next step brings these wires all to the controller.

Plugging the detectors into the controller needs to be done in a particular order for the programs to operate properly when the robot is complete.

Bottom view of robot showing servo and ranger numbering.

Step 13

Using the above diagram as a guide, start with ranger number one. Take the black and red wires coming from this ranger and plug them into one of the five black Molex connectors in Bag Three of your kit. These two wires provide power to the ranger. Plug this completed connector housing into the Pontech board in position S6 with the black wire nearest the outer edge of the board.

Detail showing how to plug the Molex crimp into the housing.

Step 14

Repeat the above process with the black and red wires from rangers two and three, plugging them into positions S7 and S8 on the Pontech board (respectively).

Detail of the Pontech connections.

Step 15

Now, the yellow remaining wire and plug it into another black Molex connector housing. Take the yellow wire from ranger two and plug it into the other side of this same connector housing. Plug this completed housing into the Pontech board with the wire from ranger one towards the outside of the board as shown in the diagram below.

Step 16

Plug the remaining yellow wire from ranger three in to the remaining black Molex housing and plug this into the board as shown below (this connector housing only carries one wire).

Step 17

Follow with the servos. Take servo one and plug it into position S1 on the Pontech board. The wire nearest the edge of the board should be the darkest of the servo's wires (typically brown or black).

After these steps, the only electrical connection is the power supply from the battery pack. There should be no remaining wires left hanging out of the robot at this point and you should have used all five black connector housings.

Step 18

The power switch is next. Remove the two hex-nuts from the switch as well as the lock washer and the flat washer. Start with a hex nut spun down about 2/3 of the threads on the switch. Follow with the flat washer with the little tab facing towards the switch. Next, put the switch through the deck so the toggle is on top of the robot. Follow with the lock-washer and finally the other hex nut. Tighen this up once it is all in place.

Switch hardware detail with switch inserted from deck bottom.

Step 19

Finally, mount the battery pack into the robot. There is a piece of double-sided adhesive tape on the back of the battery pack. Before you remove the backing, try positioning the battery in the robot. It should fit with a small amount of extra room in the triangle formed by servos two and three and the Pontech board. Make sure the wires route under the servos and that the red connector can reach the Pontech's red power receptical. Now remove the adhesive backing and carefully stick the battery pack down against the bottom of the lid. Press firmly with your hands both on the top of the deck and inside the battery pack. Once the pack is in place, plug the red connector into the Pontech board. There is only one way it will fit ensuring the proper power polarity.

Now all the electrical connections are in place. You only have a couple of final steps to complete your robot!

Contents

Part 6

In this part, you complete the robot. This part uses the batteries, cable ties from Bag 3, and the roller wheels. The tools required are a small Phillips screwdriver.

Step 20

Route the serial connector cable from the hole in the bottom of the deck between the servos and the deck to the Pontech controller and plug it in to the controller.

Step 21

The wiring should now be complete and all connected. Make sure the connections are all correct and then use the two red cable ties to hold the wires in place. Take care to bundle up the wires so none hang down while the robot is moving around. These ties also serve an additional purpose of helping to hold the Palm device in place on top of the robot. Use the diagram below to get the proper orientation. When they are in place, cut off the excess but leave about 1/4" of length on top of the robot to help hold the Palm device.

Detail showing proper cable tie orientation.

Step 22

Attach the wheels using the small black servo horn screws. Start by aligning the white servo horn with the splines on the servos and then follow with screws to hold the wheels in place.

You are done! Charge up the batteries and add them to the robot. If the servo wheels twitch when you add the batteries, the switch is in the on position so switch it off. You can now download programs to your Palm Pilot, dock it, and begin testing, using, and enjoying your new Palm Pilot Robot.

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