On Sat, 24 Oct 2015 22:39:37 -0500, Ignoramus23308
wrote:

For this year Science olympiad, we have to build a robot that picks
stuff and places it into a jar. It has to reach about 5 feet and lift
objects up to 2-3 ounces.

I plan on making it fully automated, unlike last year one that won
the Illinois State Olympiad.

"I"? Be careful that you don't get too involved and get your son
disqualified.

Full automation is a very lofty goal, it would seem. How will you
train it to find the object, then place it in a row with others it has
picked up? University teams are still having trouble with this.
G'luck!


I want to make it's arms to be as lightweight as possible, from some
super thin material. But it has to be easy to work with. Something
like thin aluminum extruded square tubing or some such. Any
suggestions?

Are you thinking "enclosed robotic arm" or "automated crane" here?
Hook end or fingers which clamp the object? Where are the rules?
https://www.soinc.org/robot_arm_c Thain't much here.


Again the arms only need to reach 5 ft and lift 2-3 ounces.

Long distance, light weight. For crane style, how about an aluminum
I-beam for the arm? (best pic I could find)
http://www.jneaircraft.com/wp-conten...olesedited.jpg
Rotate the tower, run the arm back and forth on the tower for distance
and have a triangulated pivot point

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-
To change one's self is sufficient. It's the idiots who want
to change the world who are causing all the trouble.
--Anonymous