One afternoon, inspired to carry forward the spirit of my "Junk Science" roots, I set my sights on creating something both nostalgic and forward-thinking. I envisioned a mechanism versatile enough to fit into any scenario, from pick-and-place tasks to intricate part manipulations.

I've shared a snippet of this creative process in a video to the left, where you can see my initial steps: sketching out the basic shapes, key features, and a flowchart that mirrors a state machine diagram. This step was crucial, helping me visualize not just the look but the functionality of the project, ensuring it could handle its tasks without running into any issues. I meticulously noted everything — from the safeguarding limit switches to the exact angles and dimensions needed for each part.

Moving from sketches to screen, I began shaping my preliminary designs in Fusion360. This CAD software felt like an extension of my own thought process, intuitive and rich with features that made it ideal for both 3D printing and CNC machining. Fusion360 helped me bridge the gap between imagination and engineering, allowing me to turn my detailed sketches into a digital model ready for real-world testing. Through this platform, translating designs into gcode for manufacturing became a straightforward task, marking the next phase in bringing the RBX-1 from concept to creation.

We're now diving into the prototyping stage for the RBX-1NA project, which is where the real magic happens. If you peek at the video on the right, you'll catch a glimpse of why prototyping is so crucial. Notice how the clamp jaws don't fully close by over 8mm (that's about 0.3149 inches)? That's a clear signal that we need to go back to the drawing board to ensure they can move through the full range they're supposed to, meeting all our functional requirements.

What's truly fantastic about 3D printing is how it revolutionizes prototyping. It's not just fast; it's cost-effective, too. If something doesn't quite work out during the design validation phase, a new part can be printed and assembled in as quickly as a day in most cases, and can cost less than $1.00 USD. Of course, larger parts with longer print times and more material might bump up the timeline and cost a bit, but it's still a game-changer. For instance, we've already gone through two design iterations for this project, clocking in only three hours of print time and using a mere $0.27 worth of material.

This journey isn't over yet—the RBX-1NA project is still unfolding. Keep an eye out for more updates, and don't forget to follow us on Instagram to catch all the behind-the-scenes action and progress snapshots.