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Prepare ASTRO
Gather Required Tools
Required Tap:
6mm
Semi-Optional Taps:
3mm 4mm 5mm
(If you don’t have the optional taps there is another method if your parts are 3d printed, see the note at the start of threading section)
Metric Allen Wrenches
(Optional: T-Style Metric Allen Wrenches)
Heat Gun (Only if you choose a heat shrink wire connection option below)
Wire Strippers
Choice of any of these tools to connect wires together
Soldering or the heat shrink connectors is preferred, but there is nothing wrong with the spring clamps!
Choice of either a Soldering Iron With+ Heat Shrink Tubing
OR Heat Shrink Connectors
OR Spring Clamp Connectors
Start Threading Parts
Don’t Have The Optional Taps?
The only 2 parts in this build that require taps and that is the 2x 2060 aluminum extrusion all of those holes are M6.
If your parts are 3d printed there is a method to thread the parts by forcing the screws into the parts, everyone I know seems to call this method “Power-tapping”. The best way to power tap the parts is to slightly chamfer the hole then using the same sized bolt firmly push down while screwing the bolt down.
J1 Bearing To Vertical
Thread 6x M3 holes
The bearing is mounted on top of the part as viewed from this image and a brace added to the underside from this view, so you only have to thread about halfway through from both sides.
J1 Motor Mount Plate
Thread 6x M5 holes and 1x M4 hole
Note: There are extra M4 threaded holes that are currently unused on the right hand side that can be ignored
J2 Rail Mount Plate
Thread 4x M4 holes
Optional: Its recommended to press fit 2x 4mm dowels 12-16mm long into the top of the part as viewed from this image. Its not technically necessary with the 3d printed version, but does help make ASTRO ever so slightly more rigid and also takes the load off the bolts.
Electrical J2 / J3 Sensor Bracket
Thread 4x M3 holes
2x J2 Motor Plate
- 2x M3 holes
- 6x M5 holes
- 2x M4 Holes
Note A: Make sure to thread both parts! Also the M3 Holes only need to be threaded halfway through from the front side as viewed from the image as they are only used for the bottom motor plate sensor mounting. The left 4x M5 holes can be threaded halfway through from the back side of the part as viewed from the image. The M4 holes can be threaded halfway through from the front side of the part as viewed from the image.
Note B: There is 3x M4 holes that are currently unused that are around the motor clearance hole that is for an encoder and pulley cover.
2x J3 Axis Spacers
Thread 4x M5 Holes
2x J3 End Plates
Thread 5x M4 Holes
Optional: There are 2x Optional M5 holes that are for covers and as extra hole options for attachments.
J3 Rail Mount Plate
Thread 2x M5 Holes
Note: If you pressed the dowel pins into the J2 Rail Mount Plate use a 4mm reamer (more accurate then a drill bit when used correctly) or a 4mm drill bit and drill through the dowel pin holes to give them a proper slip fit.
J3 Belt Tension Housing
Thread 1x M4 Hole
2x 2060 Aluminum Extrusion
Thread 6x M6 Holes, 3 holes on each side of the aluminum extrusion. Must thread a minimum of 20mm down (~0.75in)
Drill Holes In the Big Pulley
120 Tooth Pulley Holes
Drill 6x 3mm holes into the pulley on a 28mm diameter circular pattern.
(This part can also be 3d printed with the holes already included)
Start Preparing Motors and Sensors
Cut 4-Pin Extension Cables
Take 4x 4-Pin cables and cut the MALE end to 12in (300mm) of length
Gently strip about 1.5in (40mm) of the cable jacket to reveal the individual wires
Strip each wire to about 0.25in (6mm)
Cut 3-Pin Extension Cables
Take 3x 3-Pin cables and cut the MALE end to 6in (150mm) of length
Gently strip about 1.5in (40mm) of the cable jacket to reveal the individual wires
Strip each wire about 0.25in (6mm)
Prepare Motor Wires
For the Nema 23 Motors shorten the wires to about 4in (100mm) of length
Do NOT cut the Nema 17 motor wires, your Nema 17 should have about 3ft (1m) wires and this is important for wiring later on
Strip each wire to about 0.25in (6mm)
Prepare Sensor Wires
Shorten each SN04 inductive sensor cable to be about 22in (560mm) of length
Gently strip about 1.5in (40mm) of the cable jacket to reveal the individual wires
Strip each wire to about 0.25in (6mm)
Connect Motors To Cables
Using your soldering iron (be sure to add heat shrink tubing before soldering) or use heat shrink connectors or use spring clamp connectors:
Nema 23 Wiring:
Motor Yellow → Cable Black
Motor Blue → Cable Blue
Motor Red → Cable Red
Motor Green → Cable Green
Nema 17 Wiring
Motor Black → Cable Black
Motor Blue → Cable Blue
Motor Red → Cable Red
Motor Green → Cable Green
Don’t Have the Same Motor / Cable Colors?
Its okay if you don’t have the same colors, stepper motor manufacturers all seem to be unable to come to a unified standard for wire coloring. Pick a color matching that makes sense to you and write it down. If you have the motor spec sheet (either from a product listing or by looking up the part number) the only piece of information we need to know is the 2 different coil pairs (Like which wires belong to one coil and which 2 wires belong to the other coil) otherwise the motor won’t move when we get it connected.
There is a quick way to figure out the coil pairs if you don’t have any documentation or a tool like a multimeter, if you touch any 2 bare wires together on the motor and it makes the motor stiff (or click) when turning, you’ve found a coil pair! Don’t worry if you don’t know the polarity of the wires (Positive and negatives) or accidentally flip the polarity (Positive to negative and negative to positive) or aren’t sure which coil is A and which is B, flipping either polarity on a single pair or flipping the coil assignment (A to B and B to A) just changes motor direction, and there is a way to fix this in software when we configure the robot later on!
Connect Sensors To Cables
Using your soldering iron or heat shrink connectors or spring clamp connectors:
SN04 Inductive Sensor Wiring:
Sensor Black → Cable Black
Sensor Brown → Cable Yellow
Motor Blue → Cable White
Preparation Complete!
Next up – Building The Robot Arm