Light-up 2_Servo_Animatronic_Eye

I was inspired by the “Three-Servo Animatronic Eye” posted by Paul6700 and decided that I can do that with two servos.  In comparing the models you’ll see that I did reuse some of his great ideas while adding my own wrinkles.

Other Materials Needed:

• 2 – M3-25mm Cap head screws and M3 nuts

• 2 – M3-10mm Cap head screws and M3 nuts

• 6 – M2-10mm Cap head screws and M2 nuts

• 2 – MG90S Servos

• 2 - 15mm Eyes, Round Dome Glass Cabochons Flat-Back

• Paperclips for the eyelid hinge and Push Bar linkages

• 10 x 10 mm PCBs with assorted LEDs if desired

• A servo controller system

Printing:

The eyes have an adhesion pad but print everything using support.

Assembly:

Note: there is a recess accessible from the back of the eyes for mounting a 10 x 10 mm PCB for LED's if that “light-up” feature is desired.  The PCB can be glued in place and the control wires routed out through the channels.

Glue the 15 mm glass eye cabochons into the front of the eyes.

Seat the M3 nuts into the nut traps in the bottom of the eyes and into the slide that controls the top eyelids.

Seat the M2 nuts into the nut traps in the Eye Connection Bar, slide the small bar that controls the eyes into the slot before tightening the M2 cap screw to avoid cracking the Eye Connect Bar.  Loosen the M2 cap screw slightly so the joints move freely.

Mount the servo motors using the M2 cap screws and M2 nuts.  Note: the servo orientations.

Straighten out a paper clip and using a pair of pliers bend a short “L” shape in the end.  Slide a length of this paper clip through the center eyelid joints and the pivot hole in the frame.  Cut it to length leaving a short section that can be bend into an “L” shape in the end to hold it in place.

Install the eyes onto the frame.  The eyelids can be opened to get the eyes in place then rotated down to allow clearance for the screw.  (I found this to be a bit tricky to accomplish.)  Insert the bar that controls the eye movement into the back of each eye before installing the M3-25mm cap screw pivot.

Straighten out a couple of paper clips and using a pair of pliers, form them into the necessary control linkages.  Note the linkages for the top and bottom eyelids are the same length.  The video file shows a suggested shape for the linkages.

Install the eyelid linkages into the eyelids and the top and bottom eyelid slides.  Then install the eyelid slides into the frame remembering to include the spacer between the top and bottom slides.

Set the servo motors at about 90 degree rotation (center of movement).  Install the linkage between the eyelid slide and the servo motor control arm and then screw the control arm onto the servo.  Finally, install the linkage between the Eye Control Bar and the other servo control arm and screw that control arm onto the servo.