I am an amateur at this and would like some advice and help from this forum. I would like to create an automatic skipping rope machine that acts in the same way as this video: youtube.com/watch?v=ROfI8i2tgEg
From what I understand, I’ll be needing 2-4 continuous rotation motors and an extended arm so that the rope doesn’t just spin. I was wondering what the best servo would be for this project? And what I would need in terms of components so that I may control the speed? Also please note that I will not be using a rope for this, but rather a hazard tape (the red and white barrier tapes they use to block off areas) which is going to be much lighter.
The bigger question is not what motors you select, but what happens when the jumper stops the motor from spinning.
If the jumper lands before the rope, or even steps on the rope, the motor would continue to try its best to turn, and if a few seconds pass, it might burn the motor.
You might consider a clutch system or belt drive (not timing belt, although that would be ideal for getting two ropes to work at the same time).
You can try to incorporate a sort of “clutch” system into the arm which disengages the motor when there’s a certain resistance.
As for the motor itself, you just need an idea of the RPM and torque, but since it’s only spinning a rope, the torque needed should not be too high. robotshop.com/en/gear-motors.html
Ex: robotshop.com/en/pololu-12vd … motor.html
This is not something we have experimented with, so there will need to be some trial and error on your part. Use a lightweight rope.
Thanks for response. I should have mentioned that it’s part of an art installation and that there won’t be any jumpers. Can I attach an arm to the motor links you said? Something light weight like a metal rod. Or would it slow down the motor?
You’d use a DC brushed gear motor to get the speed and torque you want. You can find a hub to more easily attach a rod or bar.
It’s up to you, but at the very least you need a power supply which provides DC output at the required current, but you still have the option for batteries.
The big note here is that if it’s for an art installation, you should not let the motor overheat, which will cause it to die prematurely.
Brushed motors have a duty cycle of around 25%, meaning that they need to be off (cooling off) around 75% of the time. Continuous use for 8 hours straight is not ideal.
As for the rod, you should ideally counter-balance it (and the rope itself) so it’s not just an off-center load (which would induce vibrations).
