Craftel

Instant robot powered by wind

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Evaluation kit

Making Craftel kit (β2.0)

This page explains how to assemble the Craftel evaluation kit. The kit version is β2.0.

 

Difficulty

As for the age that can be assembled by one person, about 13 years old or older is a standard.

When assembling with an adult, the age of a child is 6 years or older is a standard.

 

Estimated assembly time

When making for the first time: about 2 to 6 hours

Support from experienced kit builders: about 1 hour 30 minutes

Making 2nd time: about 40 to 60 mins

 

If it fails

Download the template from here, print it on a thick sheet of paper (the kit uses A4 / 180kg paper), and cut out the necessary parts with scissors or a cutter.

For future improvement, it will be very helpful if you can send a failed part or a completed photo by e-mail.

 

1. Preparing before assembly

 

 

It is 3 sheets of Craftel template and blower (circulator, fan, dryer, etc) to prepare for assembly.

From ver 2.0, you can now assemble without using a tape, but it is useful if there is a tape or scissors when the assembly fails.

 

The kit is comprised of these parts.

- Paper pattern (A,B,C) * 3 sheets

- Rubber band (#30 , 3mm) * 1 pcs

 

It works with natural wind but requires a blower for stable walking indoors.

The rubber band used is about 75 mm in diameter and 3 mm in width.

2. Assemble of the windmill

A windmill is a component that converts wind into rotational energy and is required for Craftels to walk.

1.

There are cuts in the pattern, and the parts can be cut out by hand.

2.

Cut out A-1 (wind mill), C-1 (wind mill holder) and C-2 (wind mill shaft).

3.

Open the blue square in the center. (Blue arrow)

Push the red parts above and below with nails (red arrow)

It looks like this from the back side. (lower right image)

 

 

4.

 1. Fold C-1 (upper left image)

 2. Insert like this from the back of the windmill (center image)

 3. It looks like this from front side (upper right image)

 

These inserts are fragile and should be installed slowly.

5.

 1. Fold C-2 (windmill shaft) like this.

 2. Insert 3 insertion parts (marked with red dot).

 3. Windmill shaft completed

 

If the insertion fails

Even if the axis insertion is failed and damaged, it is safe to tape the seams like this. Be sure to cut out the inserted part (marked by a red dot)

You can fix it in the same way.

 

 

7.

Insert the windmill shaft into the square hole in the center of the windmill from the table. (Image upper left)

Insert until the orange line on the back of the windmill is visible.

 

8.

The assembly of the windmill is once completed.

The wings are folded just before the wind turbine is installed.

 

3. Assemble of the chassis

The chassis is the central component to support the Craftel structure.

1.

Cut out the B-3 (chassis).

The "cut" part is cut out.

2.

Push the red part which has 4 places to the back with a nail.

3.

 1. Fold this 4 places

 2. Fold the left and right sides

 

4.

Fold the insertion part (marked with a yellow dot) of the gray part of the four corners of the chassis.

5.

 1. Fold it like this to make it a square pillar

 2. Insert the inserted part (yellow dot)

Fold all four corners in the same way.

This part will be axis of the legs.

 

Even if the insertion doesn't go well, it's OK if you tape in this way.

6.

Lightly fold the chassis front and back.

7.

Insert the red dot area to chasis at each of the four locations.

The axis is stabilized by inserting firmly to the back (upper right image)

 

8.

If insertion fails, fix with tape.

9.

Make sure that the shape of the axis is not distorted. The closer to the square the better.

10.

Fold the middle gray part.

11.

The chassis is now complete.

4. Assemble of the windmill stand

A windmill stand is a component necessary to stably fix and rotate a windmill smoothly.

1.

Cut off B-1 (wind mill stand) and B-2 (wind mill shaft front bearing).

2.

 1. Fold the left and right gray parts. (2 places)

 2. Fold the left and right so that it becomes an inverted V shape like the lower left of the image.

 

3.

 1. Fold this part down.

 2. Insert the folded part into the socket near the yellow dot.

 

4.

It causes the central blue part to rise up.

5.

Fold the left and right of B-2 like this way.

6.

 1. Insert the left and right of B-2 into the square hole.

 2. Insert the center insertion part (marked by a red dot) in this way.

 

 

Seen from the back of the windmill stand

 

7.

Attach the windmill stand to the chassis. There is a notch near the blue dot on the side of the chassis, so insert the tip of the windmill stand there.

※ Be careful about the direction of the windmill stand.

 

If the windmill stand is unstable and you are messing up, fix it with tape.

5. Assemble of the pulley

The pulley slows the rotational movement of the windmill and makes it strong.

1.

Cut out C-4 (purey)

2.

Fold the part shown by the red arrow

3.

Fold it this way along the crease.

4.

 1. Connect the blue dot inserts together. (Image upper left)

 2. Connect the insertion parts of the red dot.

Making purey is completed.

 

5.

It will be like this if the case using tape

6. Assemble of the crank

The crank converts the rotational motion of the pulley into a reciprocating motion for walking.

1.

Cut out the C-3 (crank). Also, press the green part from the back side as shown in the image. (4 red arrows)

2.

Fold the insert part. (7 red arrows)

3.

Fold the center of the crank and insert the insertion part. (Two places, mark of red dot)

 

4.

Fold the shaft at both ends of the crank, and insert the insertion part (yellow dot).

5.

Crank is completed.

It becomes like this if using a tape.

 

7. Installation of pulleys and cranks

 

1.

Attach rubber bands, pulleys and cranks to the chassis.

2.

Insert the crank into the square hole of the pulley until it fits in the orange wire. (See also the video on the right)

3.

Thread the rubber band through the crank. ※ It is easy to forget.

 (1) Insert one end of the crank into the hole on the side of the chassis.

 (2) Pass the other end of the 2 crank through the hole on the side of the other chassis

 

 

4.

Make sure that the two green parts circled in red circle outside the chassis. This will prevent the crank from shifting to the left or right.

 

※ Fold these two parts further outward so as to keep enough space with the chassis.

 

 

5.

The installation of the pulleys and cranks is now complete.

8. Assemble of the legs and links

 

(Video)

It will assemble the legs like this way.

1.

Cut out C-5 (Legs).

2.

Fold the left and right insertion parts (3 places)

3.

 (1) Fold it like this.

 (2),(3) Insert the insertion part.

4.

Pull up the gray parts.

 

5.

Make 6 legs by same way.

6.

Cut out C-6 (Links)

7.

We will attach the link to the leg.

 (1) With one leg parallel to the link, insert the non-circular side of the link into the gray part of the leg.

 

 (2) Rotate the link so that it is perpendicular to the two legs.

If you try to turn it forcibly, it will be broken, so turn it into a position perpendicular to your legs, keeping in mind the center so it will not get caught.

 

 Move it several times to make it rotate smoothly.

(Also see the video on the right)

 

8.

Make three links, one to the right and one to the left.

9. Installation of legs

 

 

1.

I will attach the legs to the body. First attach the left leg and then the right leg.

2.

Attach three legs to each axis on the left.

Set the link direction (front and back) to the image.

 

3.

Attach the ends of the three links to the axis this way.

4.

In order to prevent the leg from falling out, it causes a blue part on the axis. (see the lower right image)

 The left leg is now complete.

5.

Attach three legs to each axis on the right.

Set the link direction (front and back) to the image.

 

6.

Attach the ends of the three links in this way to the axis, causing the blue part of the axis. The right leg is also complete.

7.

Fold the two gray parts (toes) at the lower end of each leg forwardly in this way. See also the image on the right

There are six toes.

 

 

8.

The leg installation is now complete, but the first move is a bit heavy.

Turn the pulley by hand so that the legs work smoothly. (Also see the video on the right)

 

10. Assemble of the face

1.

Cut out B-4 (face), B-5 ​​(ears) and B-6 (eyes). There are two types of eyes, so please select one.

Cut out the red rectangle area too. (check left up image)

 

2.

Fold the inserted part (yellow dot) around the face. There are eight places.

3.

Fold the face left and right and up and down four places.

4.

Insert the inserted part (yellow dot).

(4 places)

5.

Insert the eyes through the holes in the side.

Be careful of the eye's top and bottom orientation.

6.

Fold the different color parts (green parts in the image) at the left and right edges of the eyes.

7.

Insert your ear into the notch on the side. There are also left and right ears.

8.

Trigger this part behind the left side.

This part is used when connecting with the leg.

 

9.

We will attach the face to the body.

10.

Before attaching the face, push this part with your nails. There is no need to cut out completely.

Only left front leg is required to make a hole.

11.

Bend the lower part of the face (the part corresponding to the neck) as shown by the blue arrow on the image.

And place the face on the chassis. Insert the insertion part of the face into the cut on the main body (blue dot).

You can insert it by pressing from the top like the lower right image.

12.

Insert the part folded (lower right image) into the square hole on the left front leg that you opened.

This connection interlocks the legs and face.

 

 

13.

Test the motion.

If you turn the pulley, the legs will move and face will move by it.

 

Testing face motion

 

11. Assemble of the eyelids

 

1.

Cut B-7 (eyelid).

Be careful as it is a fragile part.

2.

Pull up the part marked with a yellow dot.

The other parts of the eyelid will not fold for now.

 

3.

Remove the face-leg connection and turn the face backwards.

Insert the yellow circle part of the eyelid pulled up by #2 into the notch in the yellow circle part of the lower left image.

 

4.

 (1) Fold it like the upper left image.  (without taking the eyelids)

 (2) Inserts marked with red dot will appear.

 (3) Insert the insertion part into the red line (lower left image).

 

5.

 (1) Fold this part as in the lower left image.

 (2) Fold it along the second fold to draw a curve.

 

6.

Insert the eyelids through the open space in the area under the face that corresponds to the chin.

As shown in the lower left image, insert the eyelid diagonally once and insert it between the eyes and face.

 

7.

Reconnect the face and legs.

 

8.

Adjust the position of the eyelids.

Make the eyelids face parallel with the dotted lines in the image.

Adjust the curve of the eyelid so that the gap between the lower part of the face and the eyelid is about 3 to 5 mm as in the lower left image.

As shown in the next video, move the pulley and check the motion.

 

 

It works like this.

The eyelids only close about by half.

 

12. Installation of the windmill

 

1.

We will attach the windmill to the body.

 

2.

Fold the portion of the wind mill's wings along the crease to an angle of about 45° (All 6 wings)
*It will not work if fold too much angle.

3.

Insert the shaft of the windmill into the round ring at the top of the windmill stand.

Insert it until windmill reaches the sharp point shown by the red circle in the image.

 

5.

Test the motion by manually rotating the windmill shaft.

It is all right if the legs, face and eyelid move and walk.

If the rubber band is idle, there is a possibility that the leg or crank may be hard to turn.

You can test it like the right video.

 

4.

Hook the rubber band in order of

pulley (1) and windmill shaft (2).

 

The lower left image is from the back, so first hook the rubber band on the pulley like this.

 

Be careful about the direction of rubber band.

Hook rubber band as left front (check upper left image).

 

13. Walking test

 

1.

After turning the wind mill by hand to confirm that it works, experiment with how it works by using the wind.

 

Prepare a fan and apply a weak wind.

The place where you can walk is a rough surface such as a wooden board or cloth is better.

 

2.

It will walk like this video if making well.

14. Troubleshooting

 

If Craftel slip when walking or want to move with strong wind

 

Slip is a problem when walking on a smooth glass plate, or using strong wind.

This slip can be eliminated by attaching a weight too.

The best weight of the weight is about 10g. We can use AAA batteries, pebbles, coins etc as weight.

 

The gray part extended from the chassis is the structure to keep the weight.

Fold it like this to wrap the weight and fasten it with tape.

 

 

Windmill hits rear leg when walking

 

・ Fold the wings of the windmill a little back.

・ Weaken the wind power.

・ Check if the rubber band is slack.

 

 

The rubber band drops

 

・ When dropping from upper rubber band

 Check that the direction of the rubber band is correct.

Reference: Wind Turbine Installation

 

・ When dropping from lower rubber band

Make sure that the position of the pulley is on the orange line of the crank.

 

 

The direction is left and right when walking

 

The current Craftel has a characteristic that the left front leg that moves the face is more stressed than the right front leg, so the movement of the left leg becomes smaller and it tends to turn to the left when walking.

Also, the direction of the wind and the position of the wind affect the direction of walking.

Please devise the wind direction and strength, the position to start walking etc.

 

That's all for assembling Craftel kit.

But I think there was probably something difficult.

We would be happy if you could send us an email with the completed photo, questions and comments, or the form below.

Thank you very much for making Craftel.

 

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