Our BIGGEST project yet! (SPIDER MECH!)

TL;DR

After a year and a half of challenges, failures, and setbacks, the team finally builds and tests the world's largest rideable hexapod.

Transcript

In this video I take on building the  world's largest rideable hexapod, Megahex.  A passion project of mine that has taken up  the past year and a half of my life. What started out as a simple three-month build turned into a year and a half of failures, breakdowns, and rewrites. So close. And I think we have to cut  our losses with this project. We... Read More

Key Insights

• 🏛️ Building a project of this scale requires extensive planning, engineering expertise, and a significant investment of time and resources.
• 🥳 Mass-manufactured parts often require modifications and tolerancing to fit the specific needs of the project.
• 📽️ Overheating and servo failures can be common challenges in hydraulic projects, necessitating regular monitoring and troubleshooting.
• 🛩️ Testing and continuous improvements are crucial in complex projects, as small adjustments can have a significant impact on performance.
• 🫵 Project setbacks and failures can be valuable learning opportunities and can provide interesting content for viewers.
• 📽️ Funding and community support are essential for undertaking ambitious projects like the Megahex.
• 😤 The team's dedication and perseverance were instrumental in overcoming the numerous challenges they faced.

Questions & Answers

Q: What inspired the team to build the world's largest rideable hexapod?

The team was inspired by a video of an excavator capable of standing up and maneuvering using its bucket. They wanted to see if more legs could work together as one giant unit.

Q: What were some of the challenges the team faced during the project?

The team encountered challenges such as frame size limitations, differences in leg motion, mass-manufactured parts not aligning properly, failed welding, overheating servos, hydraulic leaks, and communication issues.

Q: How did the team address the issues with overheating servos?

The team changed the springs and added a computer fan to keep the servos cooler. They also replaced the servos that failed and tuned the system to prevent excessive overheating.

Q: Was there a significant setback during the project?

Yes, one of the main frames of the hexapod tore itself in half during testing, requiring significant repairs and welding.

Q: Did the team achieve their goal of creating a walking hexapod?

Yes, after months of testing, making improvements, and overcoming challenges, the team succeeded in making the hexapod walk and demonstrated it to others.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The project started as a simple three-month build but turned into a long and difficult journey filled with failures, rewrites, and constant problem-solving.

• The team faced various challenges, including redesigning the frame, dealing with mass-manufactured parts, and tolerancing the frames themselves.

• They encountered issues with welding, servo motors, hydraulic systems, and communication, but they persisted, made improvements, and finally achieved their goal of creating a walking hexapod.