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Chapter 13

Assembly Techniques

robot is an amalgam of parts both small and large, important and seemingly inconse-
A quential. We don’t forget the big stuff: motors, wheels, batteries, bases. But it’s easy to
overlook how the robot is put together— the way it’s assembled.
How your robot is connected is no less important than its motors, wheels, batteries, and
bases. So in this chapter, you’ll learn about assembling the raw materials of your robots into
full- fledged creations. After all, even the Frankenstein monster used bolts to keep his head
from falling off.

Screws, Nuts, and Other Fasteners

Mechanical fasteners are the most elementary of all assembly hardware. They are the nuts,
screws, and washers used to hold pieces together. Fasteners are favored because they are
cheap, easy to get, and simple to use. Most fasteners can also be undone, so you can disas-
semble the robot if need be. This last trait is actually quite handy in academic environments,
where one or two robots must be shared among many students. After one group has built and
experimented with the robot, it can be disassembled and is ready for the next.
There are dozens of fastener types but just a few that are practical for amateur robotics.
These are nuts, screws, and washers, shown in Figure 13-1.

Figure 13-1 Nuts, screws, and washers
are the fundamental pieces used in
mechanical fastening. Nuts and screws
are threaded to match; washer size is
based on the diameter of the screw.
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