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Made in the USA - The Story of Madeusa — Parallax Forums

Made in the USA - The Story of Madeusa

Matt GillilandMatt Gilliland Posts: 1,406
edited 2011-08-10 20:54 in General Discussion
Hey Everybody -

By now you know that Parallax really wants to turn out high quality *stuff*, and we believe that making it right here in Rocklin, America is the best way to accomplish that...

I've started this thread (mostly) for those of you who have never gotten a chance to visit Parallax in person. I'm going to follow this stack of raw materials (amongst other stuff too) through our entire production process (as time permits of course! I still gotta "produce" stuff myself!)

102_4722.jpg


I'll be posting both pics and videos (especially for the really cool things that we do here).

This is aluminum raw bar stock for the drive system for the Madeusa Robot system.

More to come...
-Matt
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Comments

  • John AbshierJohn Abshier Posts: 1,116
    edited 2011-07-01 15:08
    It is just mean not to give us a hint as to what the Madeusa Robot system is.

    John Abshier
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,401
    edited 2011-07-01 15:50
    @John, Happy Independence Day weekend to our friends in Leavenworth, Kansas. I think you might actually be our only real friend in Leavenworth, but I'm sure there are many other nice people! This product is the Madeusa Robot Kit: http://www.parallax.com/Store/Robots/AllRobots/tabid/128/CategoryID/3/List/0/SortField/0/Level/a/ProductID/666/Default.aspx

    Matt promises an interesting story by having us follow this process. This particular product uses almost all of our machines to manufacture and has become quite popular in recent months. We are keeping two Haas CNC milling machines busy full-time along with a Haas CNC router. The SMT line does background manufacturing in this case since many of the parts are mechanical.

    Ken Gracey
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2011-07-02 02:22
    Absolutely wow! - Look how clean that warehouse floor is!
    Aluminum is my favorite robot metal - but I've never seen that much of it in one place at one time!
    Is that a round hollow pipe or solid aluminum bar?
  • Matt GillilandMatt Gilliland Posts: 1,406
    edited 2011-07-02 08:06
    Is that a round hollow pipe or solid aluminum bar?
    Everything in the pic is solid, including the round bar stock (the ends are "blued" coated, which gives them the hollow look).

    It takes 2 or three guys to lift it onto the automated band saw (pic coming soon- once Mfring starts up again).
    Look how clean that warehouse floor is!

    Our machinist and warehouse gurus maintain immaculately sterile working conditions - sometimes almost "hospital-like" cleanliness.
    -Matt
  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    edited 2011-07-02 19:55
    I want to come play...
  • Matt GillilandMatt Gilliland Posts: 1,406
    edited 2011-07-02 21:40
    The Round Bar Stock will become the "Rims" for the drive wheels of Madeusa. The Flat Bar Stock will become the Bearing Brackets that support the drive shafts of the motors.
    Absolutely wow! - Look how clean that warehouse floor is!
    Yeah! But you should see our PnP Manufacturing floor now... It looks like a freshly Zambonied ice rink! The Manufacturing Team did a bang-up job making that whole place spotless.

    @Whit - you know you're welcome here any time!
    -Matt
  • NikosGNikosG Posts: 705
    edited 2011-07-03 02:29
    Hi Matt,

    From images and videos I have seen from other threads and from this one, I have to say that Parallax plant looks great! I think it is the ideal place to work! The materials and the equipment you use are equal to the high scientific level you have. If you ever offer any program for volunteer Job I’m willing to participate and offer volunteer job in any level (from chores to programming)!!!

    The image with the aluminum is perfect! Can I touch it?
  • RobotWorkshopRobotWorkshop Posts: 2,307
    edited 2011-07-05 10:29
    Hello Matt, Ken, and all,

    While you're working on cranking out new parts for the Madeusa robot bases there is one option that I would really like to see you consider! The inflatable main drive wheels are nice and are great for a lot of robots. However, there are many cases where a solid rubber tire/tread would be better. It would be fantastic if instead of those inflatable wheels you could simply machine a new hub and use some of the 6" colson castors like these:

    Regular Tread:

    http://www.colsoncaster.com/products/productdetails/default.aspx?productid=44

    Round Tread:

    http://www.colsoncaster.com/products/productdetails/default.aspx?productid=47

    Please, Please, Please get a couple of those wheels as samples and try them out.

    The advantages of these wheels is that they use non-marring grey rubber so they won't leave any marks on the floor. Also, they don't need air and you don't have to worry about them going flat. This is a huge advantage for robots where the wheels are enclosed and you can't get to them easily to add air. I have one robot like this and would switch to these colson wheels in a minute if there was an adapter to make them fit. If adding air becomes a persistent problem I make have to get a friend to help machine a set of adapters in order to switch to the colson wheels.

    Those Colson wheels are tough! They've held up to abuse in Battlebots and I know of some in use on Personal/Home robots that have been used for 25 years and still going strong.

    I'd personally like to see you offer the wheel kit with both as available options!

    The inflatable tires are probably better for rough terrain but the colsons would be a better choice for many indoor robots.

    Robert
  • Matt GillilandMatt Gilliland Posts: 1,406
    edited 2011-07-05 21:44
    Hi Robert - Thanks for the tip...
    We'll check 'em out!

    -Matt
  • OppaErichOppaErich Posts: 48
    edited 2011-07-06 03:32
    3 guys for a bit of Alu ? I like that 'professional' stand for that red thingy in the corner, probably a welding trafo. :) 20 years ago I been in the repair squad for all sorts of tool machines at Krupp, sometimes I miss mechanical work and the special smell of rotting oils...
  • Matt GillilandMatt Gilliland Posts: 1,406
    edited 2011-07-06 06:19
    Welcome to the Forums, OppaErich :-)
    3 guys for a bit of Alu ?

    Yep, 3 guys. They don't make guys as strong as they used to - the younger ones are pretty weak compared to us older dudes!

    -Matt
  • OppaErichOppaErich Posts: 48
    edited 2011-07-06 08:29
    Matt Gilliland wrote: »
    Welcome to the Forums, OppaErich :-)
    Yep, 3 guys. They don't make guys as strong as they used to - the younger ones are pretty weak compared to us older dudes!
    -Matt
    Thanks for the welcome, Matt. Well, I recommend to try some girls then. Maybe they're stronger but certainly do look much better :) The women soccer world championship is running here in Germany. Jeez, US girls are really huge (google Hope Solo). The US have qualified for the quarter finals already, their next match is at 9pm local today. ;) I'm gonna watch it. (Their first match was vs North Korea, the Korean girls were only half as tall as the US girls)

    Stephan
  • bomberbomber Posts: 297
    edited 2011-07-06 11:51
    Are the metal bars near Mr. Gilliland's office, or are they at a loading dock that was not part of my tour.
  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    edited 2011-07-06 13:02
    Matt Gilliland wrote: »
    @Whit - you know you're welcome here any time!
    -Matt

    Thanks Matt!
  • Matt GillilandMatt Gilliland Posts: 1,406
    edited 2011-07-06 14:35
    Hey everybody-
    Here's the first step in the Motor Mount and Wheel Kit production process for Madeusa...

    -Matt
  • Matt GillilandMatt Gilliland Posts: 1,406
    edited 2011-07-06 14:52
    Are the metal bars near Mr. Gilliland's office...?

    Yes, Bomber, they are. In fact, when I get in trouble here, they lean the bars up across my doorway - kinda like a jail cell...

    It wouldn't be too bad, except for the ankle shackles, and not a key to be found.

    Ken? Can I have a drink of water?

    ...Ken?

    -Matt
  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,452
    edited 2011-07-06 17:30
    OppaErich wrote: »
    3 guys for a bit of Alu ?

    If those are standard 4" diameter by 10 ft long rods they weigh about 150 lb each. If you don't have at least two guys handling them OSHA should swat you down like a junebug sniffing a mint julep. For just moving it around two guys is OK, they each have to lift 75 lb -- very carefully, as they don't want to get hernias. For putting it in the machine you want one guy at the far end and two at the end being positioned, one to bear the weight and one to do the positioning.

    I work on weigh scales, and before anyone in the industry knew what a computer was I repaired them instead of writing software. On the occasion of my job interview, the last thing my boss to be asked me to do was to pick up an innocuous little object sitting on the floor. It turned out to be a 50 lb pipe handle test weight, and if I hadn't been able to put it on the counter top I wouldn't have been hired no matter what my electronics knowledge; as he explained, the only way to reliably test a scale is to put weight on it. Sometimes lots of weight. Sometimes lots of times.

    I have carried two of those weights at once, but only because you can take one in each hand and balance very well. You can't do that with a 10 foot long load as you're putting it in a machine though, and I eventually did get my hernia not being as careful as I should have been with those weights.

    Hernias and ruined backs aren't about how tough a guy you are. Hernias are about isostatic pressure behind the abdominal wall and a fairly common inherent weakness, which is not improved by eating your wheaties and exercising, in the perforation where your vas deferentia pass through. The stronger you are, the more likely you are to have a problem with that.
  • $WMc%$WMc% Posts: 1,884
    edited 2011-07-06 18:21
    I love to machine aluminum.
    '
    More Pic's Matt please...
    '
    '
    P.S. Nice saw !!!!
  • RobotWorkshopRobotWorkshop Posts: 2,307
    edited 2011-07-06 20:01
    I may have a work around for adding air to the tires when they are installed on the base. Once I get it all back together I can confirm. I swapped out the caps with short valve extensions as shown in the picture. It made it easier to add air and check pressure.

    I'm going to see if I can pickup a different air chuck with a smaller profile to make it easier to reach the valve. I may also try a slightly longer extension.

    BTW: Does anyone know of a tiny TPMS sensor that goes in just the valve cap instead of a whole module for inside a wheel? Thought it might be neat to have the propeller monitor the robot tire pressure.....

    Robert
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  • OppaErichOppaErich Posts: 48
    edited 2011-07-07 06:51
    localroger wrote: »
    If those are standard 4" diameter by 10 ft long rods they weigh about 150 lb each. If you don't have at least two guys handling them OSHA should swat you down like a junebug sniffing a mint julep.
    150 lbs = 68,0388555 kg that's not that much, would probably still carry this alone. At Krupp I was carrying 100mm x 6m (4" x 20ft) steel rods, I didn't lift them though. They were pulled off the cabinet and layed onto my right shoulder and I was in my early 20s (and my body mass was 100+kg). What do they say: we were young, in need of money ? :) I didn't had to carry them, that was a "look how tough I am" thing.

    Anyways, more pics please, bringing up the memories.

    And y'all start cheering your team. They've lost their last match and are now facing Brasil in the quarter finals.
  • NikosGNikosG Posts: 705
    edited 2011-07-08 09:45
    RobotWorkshop wrote: »
    I may have a work around for adding air to the tires when they are installed on the base. Once I get it all back together I can confirm. I swapped out the caps with short valve extensions as shown in the picture. It made it easier to add air and check pressure.

    I'm going to see if I can pickup a different air chuck with a smaller profile to make it easier to reach the valve. I may also try a slightly longer extension.

    BTW: Does anyone know of a tiny TPMS sensor that goes in just the valve cap instead of a whole module for inside a wheel? Thought it might be neat to have the propeller monitor the robot tire pressure.....

    Robert

    Hi Robert,
    Look at this and this!
    Nice idea!
  • marzec309marzec309 Posts: 146
    edited 2011-07-08 09:59
    Matt Gilliland wrote: »
    Hey everybody-
    Here's the first step in the Motor Mount and Wheel Kit production process for Madeusa...

    -Matt

    Do you Know if he used a template block, that is already the correct size, by placing it up against the blade (with the saw off of course) on top off the bar stock. He then could move the stop up to the template block and lock it into place, remove the template and bingo his first block would be spot on. No Waist. Just a suggestion.
  • Matt GillilandMatt Gilliland Posts: 1,406
    edited 2011-07-08 10:32
    ...template block...
    Nice idea! I'll forward that to our "Ace Machinist" -

    -Matt
  • Matt GillilandMatt Gilliland Posts: 1,406
    edited 2011-07-08 10:34
    P.S. Nice saw !!!

    No irony here. MadeUSA's first operation is being cut by a saw that's Made (in) USA...
    (big sticker on the right side of the machine, barely visible flag)

    -Matt
  • davejamesdavejames Posts: 4,047
    edited 2011-07-08 10:52
    Hi Mr. Gilliland,

    Thanks for posting the video.

    What's that squirty stuff sprayin' about during cutting? Some sort of lubricant I guess, but what exactly?
  • bomberbomber Posts: 297
    edited 2011-07-08 11:10
    @davejames
    The "squirty stuff" is a coolant fluid that stops the heat generated by the friction of the blade from damaging the machine and ruining the blade.
  • RobotWorkshopRobotWorkshop Posts: 2,307
    edited 2011-07-08 11:30
    NikosG wrote: »
    Hi Robert,
    Look at this and this!
    Nice idea!

    The first link is made to work with tubeless tires and wouldn't fit. However, that second link with the sensors in the caps is EXACTLY what I was thinking about and may work. It would have to have the valve mounted toward the outside of the robot for clearance. It looks like they just sell the remote valve cap sensors separately for $20 each. It would be a pretty cool project to let the robot keep track of the air pressure in the tires. As I recall you have 4 tires on your robot so you could keep track of them all. I may be better to start with the full kit and just hack the receiver to work with the Propeller.

    Robert
  • davejamesdavejames Posts: 4,047
    edited 2011-07-08 11:36
    bomber wrote: »
    @davejames
    The "squirty stuff" is a coolant fluid that stops the heat generated by the friction of the blade from damaging the machine and ruining the blade.


    OK, understood - thanks.

    Is it typically water or is it a chemical concoction?
  • Matt GillilandMatt Gilliland Posts: 1,406
    edited 2011-07-08 11:54
    Hi davejames,

    (Right you are Bomber!)

    It's both a coolant and a lubricant. This is one of the variants we use. I think it's 3 parts water, 1 part "secret sauce".

    -Matt
  • Matt GillilandMatt Gilliland Posts: 1,406
    edited 2011-07-08 12:05
    Ok, so we deviate now to Ping Stands (getting low again). There are (10) of these little guys on every Madeusa.

    The Motor Mount block machining will have to wait 'til next week.

    Congratulations! You have Quadruplet Ping Stands being born right now!

    -Matt
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