Robotics Handbook · Build Tool
Build a robot arm
Build it like a game: choose a mission, assemble the joint modules, run a simulated test cycle, then checkout — we assemble, QA-test, and ship the hardware. AJM joint modules from an indicative US$699/axis. Nothing here is AI-generated: every number comes from a published formula and a fixed component table.
Workshop — live preview
Stylized side view drawn live from your selections — joint colors and the test-cycle outcome come from the same deterministic torque check as assembly, not a physics engine. Click a joint to jump to its module.
Stage 1 of 4
What must this arm do?
Pick a starting template, then dial in payload and reach — this sets what each joint group needs to lift.
Stage 2 of 4
Assemble the arm
Click an empty slot below — or its ghost joint on the arm above — to choose a module. Each group is auto-suggested from the sizing formula; choosing a lighter tier than suggested is allowed but shows an amber or red status.
Tool bay
All prices are an indicative market band; final pricing by quotation.
Stage 3 of 4
Run the test cycle
The workshop above simulates a deterministic pick-and-place cycle — a two-link inverse-kinematics motion using the same torque check as assembly. Green passes first-pass limits; amber runs at reduced speed with tight margin; red aborts the lift because a module is undersized. Any verdict lets you continue to checkout.
Stage 4 of 4
Checkout — we build, test, and ship the hardware.
Destination market
Optimal fit — every joint passes first-pass with the leanest suitable module.| Item | Qty | Unit price | Line total |
|---|
All prices indicative: modules shown at from-prices, options at market-band midpoint. Final pricing by quotation.
Landed cost estimate
First-pass estimate for budgeting only — duty rates depend on HS classification and change; your quotation includes a verified landed-cost breakdown.
Preliminary manual generated from your configuration — the final manual ships with the hardware.
This sends your build to our engineers. We confirm a firm quotation with test data, then assemble, QA-test, and ship the hardware. Lead time and warranty confirmed at quotation.
We reply with a verified shortlist, test data, and a landed-cost breakdown — normally within one business day.
How this calculator works
This tool is deterministic: published formulas and a curated component table. No AI guesses.
First-pass structure mass: arm structure mass = 4 × reach (kg) — a crude tube-and-bracket allowance only; excludes base, covers, harness routing, and stiffness reserve. Final mass comes from CAD/BOM.
Wrist required torque: (payload + fitted gripper, wrist-sensor and depth-camera mass) × 9.81 × 0.15 m tool offset × 1.5 dynamic factor — gripper mass per selected type.
Elbow required torque: (payload + 0.25 × structure mass + gripper mass if fitted) × 9.81 × (0.55 × reach) × 1.5 — gripper mass per selected type.
Shoulder required torque: (payload + 0.5 × structure mass + gripper mass if fitted) × 9.81 × reach × 1.5 — gripper mass per selected type.
Status: green = rated torque ≥ 1.2 × required (passes the first-pass gravity check). Amber = rated torque ≥ required but below 1.2× (tight — review with us). Red = rated torque below required (undersized). This is a static first-pass check, not dynamic validation — high-speed or high-inertia moves can need 2–3× margin or full inertia sizing, which our engineering review covers.
Torque ratings: the 20 / 50 / 120 Nm figures are indicative output ratings; the quotation confirms continuous vs peak torque, thermal duty, and reducer life per model.
Subtotal band: indicative subtotal to 1.15 × indicative subtotal, rounded to the nearest US$50.
Landed cost: subtotal band × (1 + duty range) + estimated freight (US$40 per joint module + US$60 base), rounded to the nearest US$50. This is a first-pass estimate, not a customs ruling.