---
title: Assembly
description: Build the from-scratch CoreXY rig — the complete assembly manual online or as a printable PDF, plus a downloadable 3D model.
---

PhysiClaw's hardware uses a [CoreXY](https://corexy.com/) motion system — a gantry driven by two
motors working in tandem, with a solenoid driving the stylus tip on Z to tap. The whole assembly
takes **about two to three hours**.

The assembly manual has the complete, clear steps — read it online or download the PDF; to inspect the
whole assembled rig, download the 3D model. Before you start, browse the hardware gallery to
get a feel for the whole rig.

<CardGrid>
  <LinkCard title="Open the assembly manual" description="The assembly manual, on the web." href="/en/hardware/manual/" />
  <LinkCard title="Download the PDF" description="The assembly manual, as a printable PDF." href="/downloads/physiclaw_manual.pdf" />
  <LinkCard title="3D assembly model (STEP)" description="The assembled-rig STEP file — view it in a 3D app." href="/downloads/physiclaw_assembly_3d.zip" />
  <LinkCard title="Hardware gallery" description="Photos of the finished, assembled PhysiClaw hardware." href="/en/hardware-gallery/" />
</CardGrid>

:::tip[No CAD app?]
The 3D assembly model is a `.step` file and needs a 3D app to open. We recommend
[FreeCAD](https://www.freecad.org/) — free, open-source, and cross-platform.
:::

:::caution[A few things to get right during assembly]
The manual covers these, but they're worth emphasizing:

- **Earth-ground the stylus tip** — to bare metal on the back of a grounded PC chassis; never a wall
  socket, never the board GND.
- **Position the camera** — open your system's built-in webcam preview and confirm the phone screen
  sits flat in frame, fills as much of it as possible, with no tilt or distortion.
- **Keep A/B belt tension equal** — mismatched tension makes the arm move inaccurately.
- **Lock down the motor pulleys** — apply threadlocker (blue, removable) to the set screws. The
  motors constantly reverse, and the repeated direction changes can work the screws loose; once a
  pulley slips, motion starts to drift.
:::
