by Erick Royer

AX12+
CRUSTCRAWLER

SMART ROBOTIC ARM

A versatile, robust platform with intelligent feedback
and precise control
Editorial contributor Erick Royer will be writing about applications for
this versatile robotic arm in a blog series that will be published at
www.botmag.com with selected excerpts appearing in Robot magazine.
Before diving into applications on the web, Erick wanted to revisit the
details of the arm (initially reviewed by Steve Norris in our
November/December 2008 issue in an article about his (Stonehenge)
Clock issue) to both lure readers to his online reporting and place empha-
sis on the technical details that excite him most about this platform.
—the editors

am a History and Science Channel junkie. I love shows that

SEE THE VIDEO!

I highlight how things are made and the evolution of technolo-

gy as it pertains to industry. Last weekend I was watching a
documentary on Henry Ford and they showed some old photos
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and video clips of the first modern day production assembly pro-
duction line. As labor intensive as it was, it demonstrated the lat-
est innovation and technolo-
gy of that time. A few days
later I was watching another
program called Ultimate
Factories, which offered an
inside look at the GM plant in
Bowling Green, Kentucky,
where they are producing the
new Corvette Z06. This plant
showcases the epitome of
robotics technology and
automation. What used to
take a team of workers in the
early 1900s days to complete
can be done here in mere hours. One of the most fascinating parts Fully-assembled
of the factory for me was the use of robotic arms to perform pre- AX12+ arm connected
to the Robotis CM-700
cision welding. These massive and highly intricate robots per-
controller.
form welds in the exact same places with the exact same quality
over and over—without a break or request for a raise.
I had been working on a review of the latest hardware/soft- Crustcrawler to confirm my theory that the AX12+ could be used
ware combo of the AX12+ Smart Robotic Arm from Crustcrawler, as a mini simulator for programming and testing software to con-
trying to think of practical applications and ideas for this arm. trol the larger production robots. This fascinated me and I began
After doing some research on the internet regarding larger scale to look at many remedial tasks that I do around my home which
industrial arms, I realized that they have many features and func- I could get the AX-12 to perform for me; from filling the dog’s
tions in common with the AX12+, from the ability to program bowl with food to putting silverware away from the dishwasher
finely tuned movements to receiving feedback such as pressure tray. The AX12+ opened a whole new world of robotic projects
and temperature from the servos. I placed a phone call to for me, limited only by my imagination.
PHOTOS BY WALTER SIDAS

32 R O B O T M A G A Z I N E SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 33
 CRUSTCRAWLER AX12+ SMART ROBOTIC ARM

ASSEMBLY TIPS and the manual provides illustrated tips on how best to do this. Be need to choose a programming method and controller to bring this
Assembling the CrustCrawler AX12+ Smart Robotic Arm was sim- sure to read this to avoid snapping off the plastic housings. Since beauty to life. There are a lot of options, including the Robotis CM-5, RoboPlus Terminal. This application is a tool designed to help users
ple fun requiring only three hours from box to programming. The the arm will be moving and stopping often as well as picking up USB2Dynamixel, Parallax Propeller board, any computer with a seri- work with the controller via a text-based user interface. The terminal
included manual was very detailed and full of information and and releasing objects, it is important to use a thread locker on all al port, any controller that can communicate at 1mbps with a serial program communicates with the controller in ASCII code and prints
tips for each step. I first inventoried the parts to ensure that noth- the screws where indicated. protocol, and just about any programming language. How’s that for various information transmitted by the controller for the users. This
ing was missing. CrustCrawler puts a huge emphasis on quality CrustCrawler did a tremendous job with the fit and finish of flexibility? CrustCrawler included the Robotis CM-700 control mod- application was included for advanced users who can manage robot
control so there was little likelihood that something was missing, each component for this arm. Every part fit exactly as it was sup- ule and RoboPlus Software to be tested for this review. I used an controllers directly with ASCII code.
but better safe than sorry. posed to with no need to “muscle” anything into position. I partic- external 9-volt power supply that
When working on a project with a lot of small screws, washers ularly liked the use of Pem nuts on the brackets. A Pem nut is a is capable of providing 6 amps of RoboPlus Manager.
and nuts, I like to use an egg carton from the grocery store. The 12 small nut that is welded into the bracket eliminating the need for a continuous power to the arm. This program is used
compartments are plenty for most projects to keep hardware orga- separate nut. It really helps sim- to handle devices
nized and properly labeled. If you think of the manual as some- plify the assembly process. CM-700 CONTROLLER that are used by a
thing you troubleshoot with rather than assemble with, I strongly The manual has you install The CM-700 is a new modular robot. It allows you
suggest that you take time to study each step before you start turn- servos 2 and 3 as well as 4 and 5 controller which is perfect for to manage the con-
ing screws. I found it also helpful to look ahead several steps prior so the servo horns face the out- scratch builders and more troller’s firmware
to the one I was on to see how the component that I was working side of the arm, opposite each advanced hobbyists who wish to with updating and
on would relate to future assembly. Another item to be cautious of other. I originally installed this work with a mix of Dynamixel restoring functions.
is the number that is printed on each servo and servo box. This way, but once I started using the actuators. The microcontroller, You can also inspect
number represents the ID of each servo and it is important that software, I realized that turning with dual bus handles both TTL the status of and test
RoboPlus Manager screen showing details on the
each servo is assembled in the proper location. servos 2 and 4 around 180 The Pem nuts are preinstalled, (for the AX-12 and AX-18F ser- the controller and seven AX-12 servos.
The most delicate part of the assembly process is snapping the degrees would simplify future making assembly very easy. vos) and RS-485 (for the RX-64 any connected perip-
nuts into the correct location on the AX-12 servos. It is not hard, programming, which I will servos) communication. It is heral devices. One very handy use for this application is to check the
The Robotis CM-700 Controller
explain below. designed to work with a daisy with sub-board attached.
settings for each AX-12 servo, such as servo ID. When you connect
The trickiest part of the assembly process was probably the chain of similar servos or a mix- the AX12+ Arm to your PC and run the Dynamixel Scan from within
gripper, specifically the gears and gripper braces. Pay close atten- ture of AX-Series, RX-Series, or the EX-106+. The only limitation is the RoboPlus Manager program, it will return a list of all the servos
ROBOTIS DYNAMIXEL AX-12 tion to the instructions and any addendums that are in the manual that the input voltage must overlap the range of each servo used. It connected and you can click on each one to obtain more information.
SERVO regarding this process. The parts need to be assembled in a specific has an acceptable input voltage range from 7 to 27 volts.
Hobby servos that we see in radio con- order to ensure that it works properly. It is also important not to In order to make use of the module you need a CM-700 SUB RoboPlus Motion. This application is the bread and butter of this
trol models are familiar ground. The over tighten the bolts on the gripper. If you put too much drag on Board. The sub board manages the power with a battery/power jack software suite, especially as it pertains to the AX12+ Arm. If you
Dynamixel AX-12 servo will do anything the gripper’s mechanics, it will stress out the servo and cause it to and power switch. It features ports for 3- and 4-pin Dynamixel serial remember Claymation cartoons, then you are familiar with stop-
a hobby servo can, but it has clear go into error mode. communication. There is a communication jack that is used in con- motion technology where basically you move an object and take a
advantages designed specifically for
The lower turntable brace has various holes in it to adjust the junction with a LN-101 USB interface to connect the CM-700 to a PC. photo, then move it again and so on. When you are finished you can
robotics. The AX-12 has the ability to
overall angle of the arm relative to the surface it is mounted to. I This port can also be used with a wireless communication module play all the photos together and they will create motion. The
track its speed, temperature, shaft posi-
tion, voltage, and load. The servo’s sen-
set mine per the man- such as the ZIG-110 and IR receiver. Lastly, there is a 5-pin peripher- RoboPlus Motion application works in a similar fashion. The
sor management and position control is ual for all my tests, but al device connection port that can be used to connect devices such as Dynamixel servos can report positioning information back to the
handled by the built-in microcontroller you have the option of DMS, touch sensors, IR sensors and the like. Since the CM-700 will controller giving you the ability to move the arm to a position you
Each servo has an
rather than your main controller. mounting it in several allow you to store programs on the board, there is a start and mode want and “capture” the settings into the software. This is referred to
input and output port
The AX-12 is more of a robotic for the wiring. It is positions. I can see button used to activate motion programs. as the “pose” of the robot within the application.
actuator than a servo. Its design incor- important to ensure adding two more ser- There are three basic parameters that you will be editing within
porates a gear reduction system, a that they are con- vos (most likely the ROBOPLUS SOFTWARE SUITE the Motion application; Pose, Step, and Page. A “motion page” is
precision DC motor, and a microcon- nected in sequential
AX-18s since they The CM-700 comes with the RoboPlus software suite which contains defined a series of steps that make up a specific action.
troller with networking functionality. order and that you
have the wires in the
have more torque to four separate programs; RoboPlus Task, RoboPlus Manager, For example, you could define a page called “return to home” which
Dynamixel servos use serial communi- The AX-12 includes a sensor stand that gets
correct locations. handle the entire arms RoboPlus Motion and would run the steps necessary to return the arm to what you define
cation in which you daisy chain wires mounted to the top of the gripper assembly.
from one servo to the next, thus requiring fewer wires to the While I did not use it for this review, I will be
weight) so the angle of RoboPlus Terminal. as the home position. If you are using the AX12+ to pick up and
microprocessor. working on some future projects where this the arm can be adjust- Additionally there is a move an object from one defined position to another you can create a
The servos operate over TTL RS-232 serial protocol and sup- will come in very handy to mount a camera, ed via the program or Dynamixel Wizard pro- page called “pickup” and another called “place.” The great thing
port communication speeds of up to 1MBPS, which makes them ultrasonic, light or motion sensors. source code. gram that will allow you to about this is once you define the pages you can rearrange them in
compatible with a variety of controllers on the market including You definitely want manage the Dynamixel’s
the USB2Dynamixel adaptor, CM-5 programming bundle, or the to mount the base of firmware as well as check
new CM-700 controller. Each servo is assigned a unique ID allow- your arm to a work the status and setup the
ing the controller to communicate directly with that servo. The surface or weighted necessary modes.
AX-12’s position, velocity, compliance, and torque can be set with
board so it will remain
a single command packet allowing the main processor to control
secure when you are RoboPlus Task. RoboPlus
many servos with very few resources.
The AX-12 is capable of precise control response with posi-
using it. The arm can task refers to a “task” as a
tion and speed resolution programmed in 1024 steps. Feedback swing pretty fast if set of motions that perform
This is the main RoboPlus screen with links
can be sent to the controller for angular position, angular velocity you want it to, so specific actions. The source to each program.
and load torque. The servo also features a status display LED Once the arm is assembled you need to neat- make sure it is secure. code that specifies the tasks
which can be programmed to indicate errors, including high tem- en up the wires using tie wraps. Since the to be executed are called “task code.” The robot will move and per-
perature, overload, over voltage, and low voltage conditions. bottom of the main channel is open, it PROGRAMMING form actions according to the task codes that you write. The RoboPlus
These servos are very modular in nature and there are numerous makes the perfect place to conceal the
OPTIONS Task application facilitates and simplifies writing these codes. While I
brackets on the market designed specifically for them, thus giving wires. It is important to ensure that the
wires do not impede the range of motion for
Once the AX12+ Arm did not write any code with the Task application, I did use it to look at
maximum flexibility to create custom robot projects. The RoboPlus Motion Editor which is used to caption positions of the arm
each servo. is assembled, you will the motion files created by RoboPlus Motion. and turn them into pose steps.

34 R O B O T M A G A Z I N E SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 35
 CRUSTCRAWLER AX12+ SMART ROBOTIC ARM

any order you want. Each page you define can be comprised of up sent to the “pose of step” column. Those settings now become the
to seven steps. Each step is a single motion of the AX12+ arm. You pose of the arm for that step.
can define a pause and the duration for each step allowing you to You can then add a new step and repeat the process. On subse-
control the overall speed of that particular motion. Steps, like quent poses, I tend not to select all the servos since doing so will
pages, can be rearranged, edited or removed as needed. cause the arm to lower under its own weight. I will usually only
turn off the servos that I need to move. A nice feature of this pro-
CREATING A POSE gram is the wheel icon between the two pose boxes. This allows
On the right side of the screen there is a column of settings for you position a servo or group of servos by rotating the dial in
“pose of step” and for “pose of robot”. The value column of the small increments. It is great when you need to control precise posi-
“pose of robot” column will contain either “ON” or “OFF” or the tions of the arm or gripper.
current position of the servo. The on and off setting refers to the Earlier I mentioned that I rotated servos 2 and 4 on the arm.
torque of the servo. This setting is adjusted by pressing the yel- The reason I did this was to be able to select servos 2 and 3 as well
low or gray light bulb button. When the servo is set to off, it as 4 and 5 and move them together with the wheel. Using the
allows you to move it freely by hand. When set to on, the servo is setup in the manual, these servos actually move opposite each
locked in that position and should not be moved by hand. You other, making it impossible to select the pair that controls that part
can select a single servo to adjust or multiple by pressing the of the arm and use the wheel to dial in small adjustments because
CTRL key while you click on each servo. For setting the initial one number will have to increase while the other has to decrease.
step, I usually select all the servos and turn the torque OFF allow- After repositioning the servos I can now make the adjustments
ing me to move the entire arm freely. Then once I get it in the together.
position I want, I press the yellow light bulb and the arm will You can test the steps and pages by pressing the play button.
remain in that position while sending the position for each servo. The speed and repeat time for the page can be set as well. Once
Then, by pressing the left arrow button, the servo positions are you are happy with the motions you created, you can save the file
as an .mtn file. This file can be recalled
back into the RoboPlus Motion applica-
INTERVIEW WITH ALEX DIRKS, OWNER OF tion or you can open it in the RoboPlus
Task application for more detailed code
CRUSTCRAWLER editing. You can also download the
ROBOT: What led you to design the first Crustcrawler robotic arms, and specifically motion file directly to the CM-700 con-
the AX-12? troller to run the motion without being
connected to a PC for fully independent
ALEX: Robotic arms are an essential part of a lot of robotic applications. What good is having a operation.
moving robotic platform if it can’t manipulate objects in its environment? The AX12+ and AX-18
Smart Robotic arms where a natural progression in technology away from the standard RC-based CONCLUSION
robotic arm offerings.
I really enjoyed learning how to control
the AX12+ Smart Arm with the CM-700
ROBOT: Why did you choose the AX-12 servos for the basis of this arm?
controller as well as the use of the
ALEX: If you examine any industrial based robotic arm, one of the essential factors for precision RoboPlus software. When I first assem-
control of the arm in 3D space is position feedback. Without position feedback, there is no way bled the arm and started looking at the
the hosting computer can gauge where the arm is in 3D space at any one time. The AX12+ / AX- RoboPlus Motion application I thought it
18 servos are the only servos on the market that can not only provide position feedback but also might be fairly complicated to get going.
temperature, voltage and current feedback. Also, at 220 oz.-in. of torque for $44, they are a lot But once I took a little time to understand
more affordable and provide a lot more features than standard RC servos with the equivalent the program and how it interacts with
torque rating. We selected the AX12+ and AX-18 servos for the core of our Smart Robotic Arm the arm, it was actually very simple to
design so we could provide our customers with a truly intelligent, affordable, hi-torque robotic
make the arm do just about anything.
arm for use in a wide variety of applications.
The addition of sensors, a mobile plat-
ROBOT: Can you describe some applications for which your customers are using form and a camera system will greatly
the AX12+ Smart Arm? enhance the capabilities of the AX12+ by
adding logic and motion so that it can
ALEX: Our AX12+ and AX-18F Smart Robotic Arms are used in the pharmacy industry for “pick react to its environment. No matter what
and place” functions, University education and research, light industrial functions for moving parts type of project you can think of, this com-
and sorting bins, and for ROV applications. We also sell a lot of arms to students for their engi- bination of hardware and software gives
neering projects. you industrial-grade quality and perfor-
mance in an affordable package. 
ROBOT: What might we expect for future robotic arms or accessories from
Crustcrawler? Links
CrustCrawler, www.crustcrawler.com,
(480) 577-5557
ALEX: We are currently in beta testing of our next generation of “light industrial” robotic arms
that will include all of the feedback capabilities of the AX-12 and AX-18 series of servos but will Robotis, www.robotis.com
feature RS-232 and RS485 communication and larger servos with even more torque capability. As
with the AX12+ and AX-18 Smart Robotic arms, we will also be providing power supplies, addi- For more information, please see our source
guide on page 89.
tional grippers and camera units.

36 R O B O T M A G A Z I N E