I am calculating the force required to raise a basic lift but; I cant figure out what to put in for my acceleration value in the formula mass x acceleration = force. So I was wondering what the average acceleration of a robotic arm was, such as a Clawbot arm. Please tell me if I am going about this wrong, Thanks in advance.
Also take a look here: http://curriculum.vexrobotics.com/curriculum/speed-power-torque-and-dc-motors/classical-mechanics. It’ll explain in detail what the downward force (gravity) of what you’re trying to pick up is, and then, based on that, you’ll be able to derive an amount of torque that you need the robotic arm to have.
Newton’s Second Law is supposed to be used for systems where there is a net force being applied. In your case here, there’s no net force (force of lift is counteracted by force of gravity). Just because a formula’s got the words “mass” and “force” in it doesn’t always mean it’s the right one to use. You’d be better off using work and power, but here’s a tip: the hardest part for the motors to handle is not the lifting itself, but when they’re beginning to lift the object. Once it gets going, if the motors survive the starting of the lifting, they should be fine.