The Estimation Method of Strength for Technology-Oriented 3D Printing Parts of Mobile Robots

Application of Rapid Prototyping technology for manufacturing of robotic parts became possible due to development of Fused Deposition Modeling method. The intensive progress in this method improvement was an effect of interdisciplinary cooperation of material science, physics and production engineers. FDM opened new horizons for many fields of e.g. industrial and medical applications. Production of customized demanding robotic parts requires effective method and reliable materials. The article presents results of estimation of the robotics part produced using FDM technology. Selection of prototypes of the research components - the grab's arm and gripper - arose from a potential use of FDM technology in the production of these types of components. The arm and the grab are situated at the end of the kinematic chain of the robot's manipulator. Thus, they should be light so that any additional load is put on the manipulator's motors. This has a direct impact on the manipulator's maximum working load. These types of components, apart from the least possible weight, should have relatively high resistance due to the fact that the robot can grab and lift objects up to 15 kg. The third specification of such objects is their non-standard shape. The arm and the grab must be suitable for carrying out different objects and therefore their non-standard dimensions and shapes make their mass or even ordinary production in standard technologies (for example machining) impossible.