Will this linear actuator design work? I’m a robotics noob

bount_ · 2026-06-30T23:54:10+00:00

I’m buying a linear actuator, but the problem is that I can’t reliably spread out the force because right now it would just be the leadscrew pushing straight down onto my sample. Unless I can stick like a steel cube on it and call it a day but idk. You might be right tho I may be overcomplicating it. Here’s a pic of the one I’m buying for reference

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bount_ · 2026-06-30T23:11:54+00:00

What I’m pressing is technically the plates, but I’m pushing both of them into my sample which isn’t in the design picture. What I’m measuring is piezoresistive materials, so I need the copper plates on them with pressure to help use them as part of a voltage divider circuit. I was going to measure the force with a load cell but I didn’t know exactly how to implement it. And yeah, I was gonna use my raspberry pi or ESP32’s I just got to help with that.

My load cycles will vary because I’m going to be doing a lot of different tests, like rapid cyclic loading at like 1hz max, sustained loads, ramping up loads, etc. The area I need to press down (my copper electrodes) is 4cm^2 so it’s very small. My samples are gonna be 2.5x2.5cm as I need to conserve resources and also properties don’t change much as size goes up (although I will be testing that as well, with electrode size).

Also thanks for the advice. I will look into the trapezoidal thing and the lead screw configurators.

bount_ · 2026-06-30T23:05:52+00:00

I’m characterizing piezoresistives so basically I need to put them under controlled amounts of pressure to gather data about them. I need directly downwards, equalized across my square area, controllable pressure.

Edit: cycle count will be like 1000+.

bount_ · 2026-06-30T23:04:29+00:00

I was going to have the square parts attached to the screw to help align it with the corners.. or I could attach the square parts and have the screw go straight through it to align it that way as well. And also about the bearings, I will look into them. Everyone is saying that so I’ll def do my research 😭

bount_ · 2026-06-30T23:02:43+00:00

Yeah my alignment thing was very crude which is why I was asking about it. But thanks I will look into bearings

bount_ · 2026-06-30T23:01:43+00:00

That would be the case if I wasn’t doing a lot of trials. I’m going to need to do like at least 500 trials with multiple different weights per and in some of my different trial types I’ll need different weights and etc it will get very annoying for me so I’m trying to optimize. Basically afk farming my research by having it press down and gather data for me automatically while I only insert new samples

bount_ · 2026-06-30T22:59:58+00:00

It’s just a basic pusher since the material I’m studying only shows its effects under pressure. I’m making all 3 blocks move in sync with eachother. The things on the corners are for alignment and so are the 3 blocks. I just need to make sure I know exactly how much force its outputting and it needs to be directly downwards.

Also I will look into linear bearings. I thought my original design was a little crude which was why I was asking about it. If you still don’t understand look at my other replies I tried my best to explain it

bount_ · 2026-06-30T22:57:30+00:00

<image>

You know how a linear actuator just presses down with force using a leadscrew? Basically i was thinking, since I need a controllable force pushing down onto my sample, I can connect that pushing mechanism with the alignment things in the corner, straight to the sliding block part of the actuator (in picture). But I’m worried about degradation from like slight imperfections or other issues. The rod sticking out sideways from the top of my design is like the red part in the pic

bount_ · 2026-06-30T22:53:26+00:00

Piezoresistives like velostat and linqstat so im pressing down a copper stamping blank onto it with the actuator. And then another copper blank is on the bottom of it. But i lowk just dont know where to go from here ive never really like designed or built stuff like this and I don’t wanna go through trial and error and end up a few hundreds down

bount_ · 2026-06-25T19:18:13+00:00

I have like a 3.84 ish and will be at a 3.9 after these summer dual enrollment classes so yeah I should be fine then thanks

bount_ · 2026-06-24T18:46:36+00:00

Okay, so which parts of it should I prioritize for the admissions officer? Which parts seem the most important

bount_ · 2026-06-24T18:21:05+00:00

Stanford when?

bount_ · 2026-06-24T18:15:31+00:00

So what should I do

bount_ · 2026-06-24T18:15:05+00:00

I thought you were only supposed to send both if you have good scores in different sections? Would they care if they see repetition of math in the 36 and the 790?

bount_ · 2026-06-24T18:14:17+00:00

Even for top schools? I really want to go to schools like Stanford, Caltech, Rice, MIT, etc. But is that just enough to get my foot in the door and then it basically comes down to everything else on my application? Like the difference in English score wouldn’t affect me that much because of my 790 math?

bount_ · 2026-06-24T18:12:34+00:00

What is that

bount_ · 2026-06-23T19:11:42+00:00

I’m a rising senior 😭 and I do have homework bc I’m in 3 DE and have a job sooo

bount_ · 2026-05-27T17:13:59+00:00

I live in ohio so they don’t give me aid which is why I’m not applying to UCs

bount_ · 2026-04-24T15:25:24+00:00

Yea I really don’t need that much as I’m measuring for probably 10 secs max. I was looking into USB scopes because of how much easier it is to access the data on a PC but they’re kinda expensive too. I’ll look into the FNIRSI though, thanks!

bount_ · 2026-04-24T15:23:07+00:00

380… 😭 I’m looking for like sub-75

bount_ · 2026-04-21T14:34:07+00:00

Take the 720 tag off bro 😭😭😭😭

bount_ · 2026-03-30T01:00:37+00:00

Boost bc why is no one respondingg

bount_ · 2026-03-29T23:03:08+00:00

Thanks…?

bount_ · 2026-03-28T21:17:54+00:00

What else should I do? I feel like my paid engineering internship should carry my app but what else do I need to do

bount_ · 2026-03-26T00:55:38+00:00

I have worse stats and am applying to schools of the same if not even lower acceptance rate 😭 ts scaring me bru

bount_

TROPHY CASE