3D Printed Educational Robotic Arm

This paper presents an exploration concerning the employment of the additive manufacturing process in the fabrication of educational robot prototypes that mimic the technical qualities and operating characteristics of industrial robotic arms. Specifically, we present the 3D printing process of an open-source model called the EEZYbotARM MK2, using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). This model shares the kinematic structure of the industrial ABB IRB 460 robot. The 3D printed is proposed as an educational robot for the Higher Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology of Sousse (ISSAT-So). The 3D printing process involves the use of PLA filament and the RAISE3D N2 printer. We present the proposal printing parameters applied to achieve an efficient quality of the printed parts, within a minimum amount of printing time. Finally, we present the assembled EEZYbotARM MK2 and its potential applications for educational purposes in the field of robotics. The results demonstrate the potential of 3D printing in the development of educational robot prototypes, and the importance of open-source models for the circularity and the availability of robotics education.