Basic Fritz Assembly Considerations

The steps for assembling a Basic Fritz are simpler than an advanced Fritz. This means that may steps outlined in the video can be igored. Download a PDF that indicates which steps can be skipped if you are assembling a Basic Fritz.

General Assembly

Written instructions on how to put your Fritz together can be viewed here. We recommend, however, watching the following video instead as that allows you to visually see what parts are being discussed. Its best to watch a short sequence through, rewind and then follow each assembly step yourself. Keep in mind the orientation of parts does matter so ensure that your current assembly step appears the same as in the video before applying any glue.

Software Download & Install

Instructions on where to download the PC binary files for Fritz and the Sketch files for the Arduino can be found here. Once things are operational you can watch the video to gain a better understanding on how to use the application with Fritz.

FAQ

• How long does it take to build Fritz? - We estimate that it take about 3 hours to build the advanced version of Fritz.
• Can I purchase a fully assembled Fritz? - Yes, you can. There is an additional $200.00 cost for a fully built Fritz.
• The connection disconnects and reconnects when performing a sequence? - Certain sequences will require more power than others as more servos may become active at any time. When this happens a huge power draw will occur which may cause a reset on Fritz as the batteries become used and become unable to provide enough needed power. When this happens try changing the batteries or connecting the Arduino board to external power that can provide at least 2.5 Amps at 6V.
• The application doesn't work!
  
  
  1. Do you have battery power hooked up to Fritz? The USB cable will provide some power but not enough to move all the servos. This is seen when you first try to move Fritz or connect to Fritz. On first connecting, the servos will all center which means many of them will move simultaneously and cause a power spike. If your batteries are not connected or do not have sufficient power this will cause the Arduino to reset and disconnect from the PC. This differs on different PC's as each vendor may chose to provide more power to the USB port (standard rate is about 500mAh).
  
  2. Did you upload the Arduino firmware? The Arduino comes un-programmed. See the Installation Guide for instructions on how to do this. Without this code on the Arduino, the application will not be able to run correctly.
  
  3. The Arduino can get stuck with the wrong power up sequence. Try unplugging everything (Fritz battery pack/PC USB cable). Then turn on the battery pack and then connect the USB cable. On some machines the USB has just enough power to get the Arduino stuck in an illegal powered up state but not enough power to get it to complete its initialization. Thus, powering it up with batteries first resolves this problem.
  
  4. Download the latest application version from here.