Getting Started (Hardware)

Welcome to the ToddlerBot family!

This guide will walk you through the entire build process, step by step. Each stage includes detailed instructions to ensure a smooth assembly.

Are you ready to bring your own ToddlerBot to life? Let’s dive in and build something amazing!

Sourcing the Parts

The first step? Gather your gear! Before you start building, you’ll need to fill your shopping cart with all the essential components. Make sure you have everything in the Bill of Materials and PCB Sourcing sections so you can assemble your ToddlerBot without any delays.

We highly recommend the following to streamline your build process:

  1. Order the PCB first: Since PCBs typically have a lead time of around 10 days from order to delivery, placing your order early ensures they arrive on time. Check the PCB Sourcing section for details. Note that PCB is only required in the last step of the assembly, so you can start 3D printing and assembling as soon as other parts from the BOM arrive!

  2. Use a Bambu Lab 3D printer: Bambu Lab printers are affordable and will save you time and hassle with part tolerances. We’ve also provided pre-organized print plates in the 3D Printing section—just hit print and go!

  3. Use an electric screwdriver: One with larger torque for M3 and M4 screws and smaller torque for M2 screws. This will save you time and effort, making assembly much easier on your hands!

While You Wait

As you wait for the parts to arrive, take some time to familiarize yourself with basic mechanical and soldering skills—especially if you’re new to them.

Here are some useful tutorials to get you started:

  1. Soldering: YouTube Video

  2. Mechanical Assembly: YouTube Video

3D-Printing

You can also start 3D-printing the parts! The sliced plates and recommended print order are outlined in the 3D Printing section. Each plate takes about 10 hours to print on a Bambu X1C, so plan accordingly. If you’re using a slower 3D printer, consider splitting the plates into smaller batches to improve success rates.

Assembly

A humanoid robot is complex, but don’t worry! Our detailed manual in the Assembly section will guide you through every step.

Here’s a brief overview of the assembly process:

  1. Arms: Start with the arms, as they are the easiest to assemble. This serves as good practice for your assembly skills. Bonus: The left and right arms are identical!

  2. Legs: Next, assemble the legs. The left and right sides are mirrored, so you can follow the same instructions for both.

  3. Head, Waist, and Torso: Assemble the head, waist, and torso, following the manual up to Step 8 of the torso assembly.

  4. Jetson Setup: Before installing the Jetson Orin into the torso, set it up first. Follow the instructions in the Setup and Jetson Orin sections.

  5. Standing Test: Once the PCBs arrive, install them in the torso along with the battery. Follow the assembly video to perform the standing test.

Big Congrats! At this point, you have a fully functional ToddlerBot! Show off your build with us on X (@HaochenShi74 and @KenWangWeizhuo). We’d love to tell Toddy and Arya about their siblings!

Check out the What’s Next? section for upgrades to make your ToddlerBot even cooler.