dedoky put an AR4 to playful real-world use—dispensing full-size chocolate bars for Halloween. It’s a memorable community application that shows the arm outside the lab: event entertainment, timed handoffs, and a crowd-pleasing demo that still reads clearly as an Annin AR4.
Lowrider4sd shows an AR4 MK3 performing identify → sort → stack on mixed blocks. Clean pick-and-place / object-sorting application clip demonstrating perception-plus-motion usefulness.
Ken Son’s first run of an Annin AR4 tests airflow from a Noctua fan while the orange-and-white labeled arm moves on the bench. A classic commissioning moment from an independent builder—approachable proof that a completed AR4 can go from assembly to useful motion. Strong entry-level showcase for the User Builds hub.
After the mechanical assembly series, Yaser Ali Husen shows higher-level use: driving the AR4 MK3 from Python in a chess-robot experiment. Strong software/education angle.
Maxim Yastremsky documented an AR4 build as a multi-part progress series (LED accents, first motion, then “robot is ready”). Part 5 shows the finished community AR4 after iterative mechanical and cosmetic work—approachable, maker-friendly proof that a full AR4 can be completed and shown off in short-form video.
Kat’s Lab begins an AR4 MK4 build on stream/VOD—going through kit parts and making early CAD adjustments before deeper assembly. Useful for builders starting an MK4 kit. Distinct from Chris Annin’s official videos.
As a controls engineer, I have wanted a way to share a real example of how a real industrial controls system is designed without sharing company property. The AR4 robot seemed like the perfect platform to enable me to do this because robots are fun to play with and the cost of the AR4 is super inexpensive – making the cost of ownership within reach for almost everyone. So I created ArfBotOS as a complete operating system for this robot and shared it open source for anyone.
Modulus Manufacturing filmed a multi-episode AR4 Mk3 build in a real shop environment—unboxing the mechanical kit, assembling joints, printing helpers like the 105° template, completing the mechanical stack in Episode 12, then finishing the wiring harness in Episode 13. It is one of the clearest community walkthroughs of taking an AR4 from parts to a moving arm, with practical tips for bearings, washers, and shop fixtures. Strong showcase for makers following a kit-style Mk3 path.
RobotJS runs an AR4 through a cup-moving demo that highlights smooth joint motion and end-effector control. The channel also covers AR4 acceleration tuning and JS-oriented robot control, making this a strong application clip for the User Builds gallery.
I wanted a little experience
i was inspired by the project and i wanted to build an robot to implement in the factory where i work, but the new manager was not so convinced and i kept working on robot. at first was 3d printed and after i was able to manufacture the robot from aluminium.
Di adapted the Universal Manipulation Interface (UMI) stack onto a low-cost Annin AR4 with a custom 3D-printed servo gripper and a consumer fisheye camera. The video shows external and eye-in-hand views of the arm performing tabletop manipulation. Open-source retrofit code is on GitHub for makers chasing affordable imitation-learning / teleop research.
The project was born from a vision by Suebpong and the Majortech team to push the limits of mobile robotics. While stationary arms are common, the goal was to give a powerful robot arm true “legs”, or in this case, tracks, to go where the work is. Inspired by the need for versatile automation in Smart Agriculture and the high-stakes demands of Search and Rescue (SAR), they set out to mate the powerful 6-axis AR4 robot by Annin Robotics with the Terrex (TR-80) tank chassis.
The first major hurdle was physics. Mounting a dynamic 6-axis arm onto a moving platform creates a complex dance of forces. The initial prototype, with its 40 kg payload, served as the testbed. The team spent weeks evaluating weight distribution and chassis stability during movement. Watching the TR-80 traverse obstacles and uneven terrain with the AR4 mounted proved the chassis could provide the rugged mobility required.
Curiosity, I wanted to learn the technology underlying Arm Robots. How they built, operated, and controlled. I purchased it in November and had some difficulties at customs while attempting to explain all of the components and their purposes. It took about 6 hours of official paperwork and processing. The building process was hectic, and there was no room for error because spare components are not available in Jordan. Overall, it worth the time and the effort.
an AR4 robotic arm into a precision soldering system using an MK8 extruder with pneumatic coupler for consistent solder feeding. The wrist-mounted design maintains TCP accuracy during material changes, achieving professional-grade solder joints at 2mm/s linear speed with 1 arc/s rotation.
Goal: Replace manual part handling with automated systems for efficiency/consistency.
Challenges: Retrofitting old drilling machine with Arduino-controlled pneumatics.
Results:
CNC machine: Reliable 15-minute cycles over 3 months.
Drilling machine: 40-second cycles with zero downtime in first week.
Long-Term Testing: Monitoring performance under 8-hour daily operation.
Yaser Ali Husen walks through building an AR4 MK3 where the major structural parts are fully 3D printed. The video covers organizing printed parts, assembling each joint J1–J6, installing motors, bearings, washers, and pulleys/belts, plus tips to avoid damaging printed components and a manual free-move check after assembly. Excellent education-oriented content for builders who print rather than machine the arm.
So I started this journey about 8 months ago. My objective is to have a robot to place books into a box ready for shipment. I first got a little robot off of Amazon for 1000 bucks, it was maybe worth 100. I was able to get it to move a piece of paper from one location to another, so I knew I was onto something. After looking for something more stable, I happened upon Annin Robotics and the marvelous AR4. I spoke with my partner and ordered the kit and motor kit about 5 months ago.
It took a couple of weeks working in the evenings and 3d printing parts and the robot was built. I then watched the programing videos and went to work. I did run into several programming issues, I don’t know if these are limitations of the Annin software or not, but I can’t get past a couple of them. I have found workarounds for most, though draws out programming and now operation.
The bookstacker is now working it’s happy little claw off.
Hans de Bruin (Ctrl-Alt-Dude) runs an Annin AR4 through a precision task: loading a single slide into a cassette for scanning. The orange AR4-branded cover and workshop instrumentation frame a real lab-style use case beyond generic demos. Strong application clip for the User Builds gallery from a distinct European maker.
The AR4 robotic arm system received significant motion control upgrades. The core innovation involves a split-axis homing sequence that prevents potential self-collision during initialization by separating the homing process into two distinct phases.
Motion control improvements center around advanced acceleration algorithms implementing S-curve profiles, replacing the previous linear motion approach. This upgrade enables smooth transitions between waypoints while maintaining positioning accuracy. The Raspberry Pi-based control system executes these motion profiles while managing real-time position feedback.
Operational Workflow
System initialization with split homing sequence
Automatic centering procedure completion
Waypoint execution with dynamic speed adjustment
Continuous collision monitoring during operation
Graceful error recovery protocols
Performance Outcomes
72% reduction in motion-induced vibration
100% prevention of homing collisions
Sub-millimeter positioning repeatability
The complete motion control solution demonstrates how firmware and control logic enhancements can significantly upgrade robotic system capabilities without mechanical modifications. Video documentation showcases the dramatic improvement in motion quality and operational safety.
Kevin Oghalai and the UC Davis MaSTeR Lab paired an Annin AR4 with a Bambu A1 Mini to run an unattended print cell. Vision uses ArUco markers so the arm can estimate locations, pull the print plate, scrape finished parts, and reseat the plate for the next cycle—fourteen successful prints over an eight-hour run for an IMECE 2026 submission. A strong education/research showcase of AR4 in a real automation loop.
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This build was part of the European ROBOMINERS project. The challenge was to achieve high-resolution subsurface mapping to guide autonomous drilling robots. The AR4 was used to precisely position and hold an electrical resistivity tomography sensor against a mine wall. This allowed the team to measure electrical resistivity changes at close range, providing detailed data on the boundaries and composition of mineral deposits hidden behind the rock surface.
Learn More: https://robominers.eu/2023/10/25/european-union-funded-mining-robot-achieves-remarkable-success-in-slovenia-field-trials/
Grinding with custom gripper and pick and place
This AR4-based “HandyBot” understands voice commands to autonomously pick/place tabletop objects using cutting-edge AI vision (Grounding DINO, Segment Anything) and OpenAI Whisper speech recognition. The $2300 system combines an AR4 arm, RealSense D435 camera, and custom ROS 2 pipeline for real-world object interaction.
🔗 Build it yourself: GitHub Repo
💬 Discuss the ROS driver: Community Thread
Sami Sattanen’s first AR4 vision test uses a Logitech webcam for pick-and-place on a cutting mat, with candid notes on perspective error and why a farther zoomed camera helps. Custom purple printed cable-management parts personalize a clear Annin AR4. Honest maker debugging content that helps others starting vision on the platform.
Transitioning from CNC/3D printing to robotics, the AR4MK2 was redesigned to overcome EU sourcing challenges and improve structural integrity. This build replaces imperial bearings with metric components, reduces part count through 3D-printed consolidations, and reinforces critical joints – all while maintaining full AR4 software compatibility.
