Robotic Manipulator

Academic | Individual | 2025

Academic | Team | 2025

A 4 degree-of-freedom robotic manipulator equipped with an ESP32 microcontroller that allows for both pre-programmed movements and remote control.

CAD Modeling

3D Printing

Arduino IDE

Python

Controls

3D Rendering

Project Overview

Serving as my introduction to robotics design, this project involved designing a 4-DOF robotic manipulator. The 3 main parts of the project were:

CAD assembly
Firmware for robot with Arduino IDE and Python
Fabrication and assembly of robot

I enhanced my previous knowledge in physical design by learning how combine CAD design with 3D printing and a programmable microcontroller. I also learned the basics of Arduino IDE to code the firmware for the robot.

final design

A user inputs a series of numbers corresponding to the joint angles of the manipulator

Python script sends the user input to a web server connected to a microcontroller.

Microcontroller sends signals to the servo motors to move the joints to the desired angle.

User input can be received in 2 ways:

Remote control via HTML page
Predetermined movement via Python

The linkages—designed in CAD software and fabricated via 3D printing—are paired with servo motors and an ESP32 microcontroller to enable remote control and pre-programmed movements. The robotic arm has 4 degrees of freedom and can be controlled through a web server hosted on the microcontroller.

what did I learn?

Tolerancing parts to integrate hardware such as servo motors, fasteners, and electrical components
Using a web server to communicate with an ESP32 microcontroller using Arduino IDE and Python
DFMA: designing parts that are optimized for 3D printing (strength + fabrication time) and ease of assembly.