Today was time for a side project! During G period, I decided to help Jackie Payne and Hayley Emmons with their walking robot, and I thought it might be helpful to actually get the 3D printed robot that Janelle fabricated last year to work. However, it was not quite that simple, as the pieces were improperly designed, and lacked a space for one of the motor flanges. Rather than designing an entirely new set of components and wasting those pieces, I decided I would just modify them by hand - the best way I discovered for this was to use a soldering iron to melt the PLA thermoplastic into the shape I wanted, which worked quite well! Luckily, I also discovered that PLA does not create toxic gases when melted/burned, as an organic-based plastic - its only inhaled danger is the possibility of micro-particles, so I melted the components with the door open behind me and using Mr. Halstead's portable fume hood.
grayson_o
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