3D Printed Robotic Dog (Robotics and 3D Printing for Beginners)

Robotics and 3D Printing are new things, but we can use them! This project is a good beginner project if you are in need of a school assignment idea, or just looking for a fun project to do!

Supplies

3D Printer

PLA Filament

Motor

9V Battery

Battery Clips(Optional)

On and Off Switch

Silicone Wire

Accessible 3D modeling software and slicer

4 Milk Bottle Caps

Soldering Iron with Solder

Tube

Wooden Skewers

Fabric (Optional)

Rubber bands

Step 1: 3D Printing Your Cover

Start off by opening your favorite slicer programs. The files down below are the ones you should slice for this project ( I didn´t make these, another person on Thingiverse made it. You can make your own if you are more advanced or take the ones I found online. https://www.thingiverse.com/skateDesigns/about ) You can print these to fit whatever measurement you desire. I use 3x3x3 inches on both the body and the head. The head took 3.1 hours and the body took 3.7. Don´t worry if that isn't the length for you. Every printer is different.

Step 2: Making the Motorized Component

For this step, you will need silicone wire, On and Off switch, Motor, Battery, and soldering iron.

Start off by putting the battery on the battery clip. One wire should be touching one side of the switch and the other on one side of the motor. Be extra careful. Solder the tips of the wire to the side of the component. Next, cut some silicone wire and strip the two ends. Then, solder one end to the other side of the motor and the other side of the switch. You should be able to turn on the switch and have the motor move and turn it off and the motor stops.

Step 3: Building the Base

Start off with this step by gluing the motor on top of the battery. Then, glue the battery on the end on the battery. If the wires de-attach, solder them back on ASAP. Once done, cut 2 two-inch pieces of tube. Also cut 2 three-inch pieces of a wooden skewer. Then, glue the tubes to both ends of the battery on the bottom. Put one skewer piece in each tube. Then, cut a small hole in all 4 milk caps (These caps can be any size, as long as they are all the same size.) After that, put the wooden skewer in the small whole. Just enough for it to be barely peaking out. Then, glue the whole so the caps won´t fall off. Last, put a rubber band going from the motor to the wooden skewer in between the wheel and the tube. The base then should look like the one above.

Step 4: Putting It Together

There is a large chance that the dog's body won´t be able to cover the car. I simply put a piece of fabric over the car and made it a dog bed. This can be easily done by gluing the fabric to the motor and battery. Then, glue the dog's head and body together and glue it to the fabric. Cut a hole in the fabric so you can easily turn the car on and off with the switch.

Step 5: Quick Notes

This car will not last long, but it should work. if it is having a problem, address the problem, and go back through this instructable to check. Share your problem in the comments so other readers won´t have trouble with this. This is not all-terrain and indestructible. It will run into problems if it hits a wall or encounters a pet. Do not put this project near young children. You will most likely loose parts.

Have fun making it! This robot will not only give you a ¨wow, I just did that!¨ experience, but also will be a fun process to do.