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Atlas is Damian Lickindorf’s six-axis robotic arm project, built around 3D-printed hollow-shaft cycloidal reducers, BLDC motors and stepper motors. The project’s 2019 performance figures include a 500 mm reach and a nominal 2.5 kg handling capacity, but they are the creator’s reports—not independently certified specifications. The design combines substantial mechanical and electronic detail; the available information does not establish that a complete, verified build package is available.

What Atlas is

Atlas is a six-degree-of-freedom (6DOF) arm: its six independently driven axes provide movement at the base, shoulder, elbow and wrist. Damian Lickindorf created the Hackaday.io project on November 2, 2019. Its architecture uses five 3D-printed hollow-shaft cycloidal reducers, an ODrive-based motor-control setup and an internal CAN network.

“3D-printed” describes important parts of the mechanism, not necessarily every component. The documented design also calls for motors, belts, encoders, controllers, wiring and other electronic and mechanical hardware.

How the six axes are driven

Atlas uses different motor and reduction arrangements for its larger arm joints and smaller wrist joints. The ratios below are the totals reported for the corresponding axes; the project description does not specify a separately stated ratio for every individual stage.

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Axis Motor and drive Reported reduction
1 (base) NEMA 23 stepper motor with belt reduction 1:10
2 ODrive-driven BLDC motor with belt and cycloidal reduction 1:120
3 ODrive-driven BLDC motor with belt and cycloidal reduction 1:84
4, 5 and 6 Long NEMA 17 stepper motors with belt and cycloidal reduction 1:22 total

The large reductions at axes 2 and 3 are part of the design for the heavily loaded arm joints. The wrist axes use stepper motors and a smaller reported total reduction. These details describe Atlas’s design; they do not, by themselves, establish a particular torque or precision under every operating condition.

Encoders, controllers and internal wiring

The project reports eight encoders across the arm, with different pulse counts for motor, joint, wrist and base feedback:

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  • Motor encoders: 8192 PPR.
  • Joint encoders: 4096 PPR.
  • Wrist encoders: 512 PPR.
  • Base encoder: 1600 PPR.

The documentation does not assign each encoder category to a precise number of axes in the information available here. PPR means pulses per revolution; it should not be treated as a guaranteed joint-position accuracy figure, which also depends on the encoder arrangement, reduction, control and mechanical behavior.

Five Teensy 3.2 microcontrollers share the arm’s CAN network with the ODrive. Five conductors are routed through the arm: ground, 48 V, 12 V and two CAN lines. This is a project-specific wiring architecture, not a universal wiring recipe. Anyone recreating it would need the full electrical design and component specifications to verify safe power distribution, grounding and compatibility.

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What performance did the creator report?

The following figures are Damian Lickindorf’s 2019 project reports. They are not independent laboratory measurements or certified ratings.

Reported measure Reported result Qualification
Reach 500 mm Creator-reported project figure, 2019.
Axis speed 15 RPM or more on all axes Creator-reported project figure, 2019; operating conditions are not stated.
Handling capacity 2.5 kg nominal; up to 4.5 kg when slowed Creator-reported project figures, 2019; the slower operation qualifies the higher figure.
Repeatability Below 0.5 mm Creator-reported for operation without changing the load. Repeatability with changing loads had not been tested.
Lift test 9.5 kg at 0.5 m Creator-reported test of the axis 1–3 assembly, corresponding to about 60 Nm at axis 2; not an independent certification or the same claim as the nominal handling figure.

These figures should be read as separate claims, not combined into a single guaranteed operating envelope. In particular, the 9.5 kg result describes a reported test of the first three axes, while the 2.5 kg and 4.5 kg figures are the stated handling figures for the arm.

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Can you build Atlas yourself?

The project description establishes that the creator had a running robot with its internal communications working and its mechanical side complete. At the time of that status report, the electronics still needed cleanup, and the creator was learning ROS and MoveIt! integration. The project page was reported as last updated two years before the crawl represented by its available description, so that status should not be mistaken for a current software or support commitment.

The available information does not establish that Atlas has a complete public set of printable files, assembly instructions, or a verified bill of materials. A detailed architecture is useful for understanding the robot, but it is not enough on its own to reproduce it reliably. Before committing to a build, confirm that the project page provides the necessary files and documentation, including:

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  • Printable parts, dimensions, material guidance and print settings.
  • A complete bill of materials, including motor, encoder, reducer, bearing and fastener specifications.
  • Wiring diagrams and controller configuration for the ODrive, Teensy boards and CAN network.
  • Assembly instructions, calibration steps and usable control software.
  • Safety provisions for the arm’s power system and moving joints.

Without those materials, treat Atlas as a documented design project rather than a confirmed kit or turnkey build. The project’s stated swappable end effector is intended to provide power and CAN connections, but a compatible tool would still need to be designed or selected for the arm.

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What parts would a build involve?

The documented design points to several major part groups, but it is not a complete shopping list and does not establish exact compatible models for every item:

  • Printed mechanics: the hollow-shaft cycloidal reducers and other printed arm components.
  • Actuators and transmissions: NEMA 23 and NEMA 17 stepper motors, ODrive-driven BLDC motors, and belts for the reported reductions.
  • Position feedback: eight encoders across motor, joint, wrist and base locations.
  • Control and communication: an ODrive, five Teensy 3.2 microcontrollers and CAN connections.
  • Power and wiring: the reported 48 V and 12 V supplies, ground, and CAN conductors routed through the arm.
  • End effector: a swappable tool interface intended to provide power and CAN.

Do not infer exact electrical compatibility from a part category alone. The available project details do not specify a complete set of current component models, connector pinouts, power ratings or sourcing requirements.

How Atlas differs from other 6DOF arm projects

“Six-axis arm” covers designs with very different goals. For a useful comparison, look beyond the axis count: check actuator type, how much of the structure is printed, whether files and assembly instructions are published, the controller and software, the stated payload and reach, encoder feedback, and how straightforward it is to source compatible parts.

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Other documented examples include Ramy, described as an ESP32/PCA9685 joystick-controlled arm with PLA or PETG parts and MG995/MG90 servos; SO-101, which provides STL files, printing guidance and assembly documentation; and PAROL6, which publishes STL files and software and is positioned for education, enthusiasts and small-scale automation. Those descriptions alone do not establish directly comparable payload or reach figures. Atlas’s distinguishing documented features are its cycloidal-reducer architecture, mixed stepper/BLDC drive, encoder feedback and distributed CAN control.

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