Developed during the Def-Space Tech Internship and Technical Training Program
This project presents the design, visualization, and kinematic simulation of a 3-Degree-of-Freedom (3-DOF) SCARA robotic manipulator.
The objective was to understand and demonstrate the principles of:
- Robot manipulator design and coordinate alignment
- Forward and inverse kinematics
- Trajectory simulation and motion visualization
The manipulator follows the SCARA (Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm) architecture with the following joints:
| Joint | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Joint 1 | Revolute | Base Rotation (θ₁) |
| Joint 2 | Revolute | Elbow Rotation (θ₂) |
| Joint 3 | Prismatic | Vertical Extension (d₃) |
Common Applications: Pick & Place Systems · Assembly Lines · Precision Manufacturing · Automated Production
Initial robotic arm structure was built to establish link geometry and joint configuration:
- Defined manipulator structure and base/link geometry
- Positioned joints and created a rough conceptual model
Model components were refined and animated:
- Assembled robotic arm components and aligned links/joints
- Defined joint rotations and created motion animations
- Verified correct joint behaviour visually
A full mathematical model was implemented covering:
- Forward Kinematics — Calculate end-effector position
(X, Y, Z)from given joint angles - Inverse Kinematics — Determine joint angles required to reach a target position
- Trajectory Motion — Simulate smooth motion between waypoints
Link 1 Length : 120 mm
Link 2 Length : 100 mm
Platform Height : 140 mm
Maximum Reach : 220 mm
Vertical Range : 0 – 100 mm
The MATLAB interface provides real-time control and visualization:
- Joint angle sliders for manual control
- Real-time end-effector position readout
- Robot specification display panel
- Automatic pick-and-place demo mode
3dof-scara-manipulator/
│
├── Report.pdf
├── scaramodel-animation.mp4 # Blender animation
├── Matlab simulation.mp4 # MATLAB simulation recording
└── scara_robot_interactive.mat # MATLAB interactive model-code
| Demo | File | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Blender Animation | scaramodel-animation.mp4 |
Robotic arm motion in Blender |
| MATLAB Simulation | Matlab simulation.mp4 |
Joint motion & end-effector positioning |
| Interactive Model | scara_robot_interactive.mat |
Manually adjustable/Automatic MATLAB model |
- SCARA Robot Architecture
- Robotic Manipulator Design
- Forward Kinematics
- Inverse Kinematics
- Robot Motion Visualization
- Trajectory Simulation
- Build a physical hardware prototype
- Integrate servo / stepper motors
- Implement microcontroller control (Arduino / Raspberry Pi)
- Add computer vision for object detection
- Integrate ROS (Robot Operating System) for full control pipeline
The full simulation files and animations are available here:
Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1h2PrLcrqwxpdoaEGGJ73osZo6VT-y6d4?usp=sharing
P Mahema Sai (B.Tech CSE-AIML) Developed as part of the Def-Space Tech Internship and Technical Training Program.