Robotsbuildrobots
A one-person workshop in Tbilisi. It starts with a single open-source robotic arm and grows into arms that build and repair robots.
It starts with ArkBot
ArkBot is an open-source, 3D-printed robotic arm designed by Robotics Ark. Its joints run on printed cycloidal gearboxes driven by small serial-bus servos, so almost everything except the motors and bearings comes off a desktop printer.
The first build follows the published design exactly. No changes until the original works.
- Axes
- 6 + gripper
- Servos
- 7
- Printed parts
- 86
- Supply
- 12 V
Design, 3D models and control software: Robotics Ark, ArkBot, MIT licence. The arm image is rendered from their published model.
The plan
-
One arm
Print, assemble and calibrate the ArkBot. Done means every joint moves within its limits, the gripper opens and closes, and the arm stops and restarts reliably.
-
More arms
Build further arms, including larger ones, using what the first build teaches about printing, fitting and wiring.
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Arms that build and repair robots
Use the arms to do more of the assembly and repair work themselves, until robots are built and repaired with as little human help as possible.
Progress
All 35 part types prepared for printing. The original control software runs the arm in simulation. First-build parts list settled at 28 items, with Tbilisi suppliers where possible.
Planning started: parts, tools and suppliers in Tbilisi, and a layout for a small workshop.
Next: order the printer, servos and bearings, then print the first cycloidal disk and check its fit.
Questions
What is Robots Build Robots?
Robots Build Robots is a robotics project by Jonathan Else in Tbilisi, Georgia. It starts by building one open-source ArkBot robotic arm, then builds more arms, and then uses those arms to build and repair robots with as little human help as possible.
What is the ArkBot robot arm?
ArkBot is an open-source, 3D-printed robotic arm designed by Robotics Ark and released under the MIT licence. It has 6 axes plus a gripper, uses 7 Waveshare ST3215 12 V serial-bus servos driving 3D-printed cycloidal gearboxes, and is made from 86 printed parts. The designers publish a 1 m reach, 1.8 kg payload and 2.6 kg weight.
What parts do you need to build an ArkBot?
Mostly parts you print yourself, plus a short list of things to buy: a 3D printer and two to three rolls of PLA plastic, seven small servo motors, a board that connects the motors to a computer, nearly 70 ball bearings in four sizes, two short pieces of aluminium frame, small screws, nuts and threaded inserts, and a 12 V power adapter. The ArkBot GitHub page has the full parts list with exact part numbers.
What tools do you need to build an ArkBot?
A soldering iron for pressing in heat-set inserts, metric hex keys, small screwdrivers, a digital caliper, flush cutters, pliers, needle files, drill bits for clearing holes, and clamps. The caliper matters most: the cycloidal disk's six outer holes must measure exactly 12 mm.
How much does it cost to build an ArkBot in Georgia?
This project's first-build plan for Tbilisi comes to about 3,100–3,400 GEL (about US$1,190–1,310): roughly 1,900 GEL (US$730) for a Bambu Lab A1 printer and filament, 760–1,060 GEL (US$290–410) for the arm's parts, and about 470 GEL (US$180) for tools. These are listed prices and estimates before import charges, not supplier quotes. Dollar figures use the National Bank of Georgia rate of 2.5982 GEL per US dollar on 17 October 2026.
Can the ArkBot software run without the robot?
Yes. ArkBot runs on the Ark Framework, which includes a PyBullet simulator, and this project has the arm moving in simulation.