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How to align the joints of a manipulator with high accuracy on ROS

asked 2012-06-30 22:29:01 -0500

Lentin gravatar image

updated 2014-04-20 14:09:44 -0500

ngrennan gravatar image

I like to know how we can align the joints of a robotic arm. Currently we can only do trial and error for correcting the origins of joints .Its a very time consuming task and cant use for complex robotic system. If ROS has a plugin or package to export the 3D models designed in popular softwares such as SolidWorks,Autocad,Blender,FreeCAD, it will be great tool for robotic model designers. Is any package existing for converting this 3D models into URDF or xacro? And which is the best tool for modelling Robots in Opensource community? I think ROS developers have to give more importance to modelling tools.

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answered 2012-07-01 03:02:01 -0500

cagatay gravatar image

This tool was developed to convert CAD models to URDF models semi-automatically. It makes use of the XML files exported by the SimMechanics Link . Mathworks, makers of SimMechanics, have developed plugins for a couple of leading CAD programs, including SolidWorks, ProEngineer and Inventor.

http://www.ros.org/wiki/simmechanics_to_urdf

http://www.ros.org/wiki/simmechanics_to_urdf/Tutorials/Converting%20SimMechanics%20To%20URDF

hope this give you a hint

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answered 2012-07-01 04:33:32 -0500

Lentin gravatar image

Hi Cagatay Thanks for your answer. But is it possible to export directly from solid-works or auto-cad model into URDF? othervice we need to purchase simechanics. Also i was searching for some free CAD tools that support robot modelling and can export to URDF. I found Free-CAD will support robot modelling. I think its necessary to have a opensource model tool along with ROS. It will be really great.

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you may use blender it is a free modeling tool

cagatay gravatar image cagatay  ( 2012-07-01 05:30:30 -0500 )edit
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Not sure if this is what you looking for. It's not automatic, but it has all the steps. http://ros.org/wiki/Industrial/Tutorials/Create%20a%20URDF%20for%20an%20Industrial%20Robot

sedwards gravatar image sedwards  ( 2012-07-01 13:31:09 -0500 )edit

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Asked: 2012-06-30 22:29:01 -0500

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Last updated: Jul 01 '12