Torso, head & covers

Structure, equipment and appearance have different jobs

A body panel may protect equipment, a bracket may locate a motor, and a plate may carry a substantial load. All can look equally important in a render. Use the part register to identify each function. The source names Back_Support, Front_Support, Battery_Holder and Left/Right_Hip_Yaw_Support help navigate the torso; they do not specify all joining hardware.

This sequence is an Academy workshop organization. Confirm access in your selected assembly before following it. Use assembly-checklist.csv to record what is actually fitted, and keep photographs of hidden joints. A partly open but inspected robot is a better commissioning state than a sealed shell hiding unfinished work.

Support the complete mass throughout the operation

Use a stable fixture rated and arranged for the actual supported assembly. Hold the torso and leg masses while attaching them; an unpowered robot may fold under gravity. Choose support points from verified structural members, not decorative panels, cables or ears. Plan how to lower it safely before lifting it.

The paper shows a stand and tether, but does not release a universal fixture for every revision. Your fixture must preserve access and avoid changing the apparent balance during later tests. A restraint that carries weight can make an unstable controller appear successful. Record whether support is carrying load in each test.

The head changes more than appearance

Named head components include Neck, Head_Pitch_Motor_Support, Head_Roll_Connector, Head_Roll_Motor_Mount and Head_Base_Plate. The video identifies an aluminum head base plate because the original size exceeded the creator’s printer. That statement supplies neither an alloy nor a fabrication drawing. Resolve the plate before loading the head mechanism.

Confirm whether your build includes powered ears. The organization describes sixteen actuators, while the audited backend maps fourteen. A mechanical ear can exist without a working control channel. Mark the installed configuration honestly and retain its mass in the model, even when the joint is fixed or temporarily inactive.

A head still contributes weight and rotational inertia when its joints are fixed or controlled separately from the walking policy. The controller must balance the whole assembled robot, including passive parts. That is why an uncommanded head or ear still belongs in the physical mass record and the simulation model.

Close a cover only after proving what it conceals

Wires need strain relief where they enter a fixed connector and a controlled service loop where parts move. A loop should permit the verified joint range without stretching, pinching or rubbing an edge. It must also stay out of the next joint’s path. Final routing follows the harness lesson; here you preserve the necessary space.

Before closing panels, verify cooling paths, battery removal, connector access and the power-disconnect route. Finish color and cosmetics without covering labels, vents or inspection points. Weigh the assembled configuration, including head, battery and covers; accessories change mass distribution as well as the photograph.