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310 PRINTED PARTS BECOME A REAL WALL-E YOU DRIVE FROM YOUR PHONE

310 printed parts, seven servo-driven joints and a web interface that lets you drive a WALL-E replica from your phone.

by Simon Bluett

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

RoboticsDisplays

Built withArduinoRaspberry Pi3D printing

difficulty
●●●●○
time
several weekends
license
GPL-3.0
repo
repo ACTIVE454 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Videos
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COMPAREE VERDICT

This is a serious showpiece build. Simon Bluett's WALL-E has 310 printed parts - 210 of them small tread links - and seven servo-driven joints: both eyes, head, two neck joints and both arms, plus two geared motors for the treads. His project page has the STL and STEP files, a PDF component list, an assembly video, and painting and weathering tips; the GitHub repo has the Arduino code (animation queue, random movements, battery monitoring), a servo calibration sketch and a Raspberry Pi web interface with joystick, gamepad, sounds and text-to-speech. The creator spent about three months on it, more than a month of that printing, with the largest parts taking up to 14 hours each. Use high-torque micro servos as listed, and do not skip the calibration sketch - until it is done, the README warns the servos may try to move further than they should. The result is immediately recognizable, and people who have never heard of Arduino will want to know how you made it.

GOOD TO KNOW

  • —All 310 printable parts are on Thingiverse as STL, plus STEP exports for editing; the GitHub repository holds the Arduino and Raspberry Pi code.
  • —A component list (also as a PDF) on the creator's project page gives quantities and example links; the links are for reference only, so you choose your own suppliers.
  • —Arduino Uno sketch and Raspberry Pi web server code both included.
  • —The build guide is the creator's project page (wired.chillibasket.com) with an assembly video; a PDF list of all components is linked there, and the GitHub README covers the electronics and software setup.
  • —GPL-3.0 license permits commercial use with source disclosure.
  • —No PCB fabrication required — uses off-the-shelf electronics.

Parts to buy

11 items

From our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.

  • Arduino UnoFind
  • Motor controller shieldFind
  • I2C (PCA9685-type) servo controllerFind
  • 7× high-torque micro servosFind
  • 2× 12 V geared DC motors (37 mm, 100-150 RPM)Find
  • 12 V to 5 V buck converterFind
  • 11.1 V LiPoFind
  • Raspberry PiFind
  • Optional USB camera and small speakerFind
  • ScrewsFind
  • M3 nuts and two plano-convex lenses for the eyesFind

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Can I build this?

Print310 parts (210 are small tread links): body, arms, head, neck, eyes, treads and brackets - STL and STEP files on Thingiverse. The main body parts take up to 14 hours each to print.
BuyArduino Uno, motor controller shield, I2C (PCA9685-type) servo controller, 7× high-torque micro servos, 2× 12 V geared DC motors (37 mm, 100-150 RPM), 12 V to 5 V buck converter, 11.1 V LiPo, Raspberry Pi, optional USB camera and small speaker, plus screws, M3 nuts and two plano-convex lenses for the eyes
ToolsFDM 3D printer, soldering iron, wire strippers, small screwdrivers, side cutters, sandpaper, filler-primer and paint if you want the weathered look. The Raspberry Pi needs a network connection for setup.
SkillsIntermediate. You will wire the servo board, motor shield, buck converter and battery following the wiring diagram, flash an Arduino sketch, set up a Raspberry Pi web server, and calibrate the seven servos. The guide is thorough, but this is not a first electronics project.
TimeWeeks to months: the creator spent more than a month just printing, plus assembly, painting, wiring and calibration.
CostModerate; no total is published. The seven high-torque servos, two geared motors, LiPo pack, Arduino, servo board and Raspberry Pi are the main costs, plus filament and paint.
Safety12 V battery pack — the creator suggests an 11.1 V LiPo, so charge it with a proper LiPo charger in a fire-safe bag and never leave it charging unattended. Soldering iron care; no mains voltage.

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

Videos

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Gallery

opengraph.githubassets.com

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Read the build guide on wired.chillibasket.com/3d-printed-wall-e and watch the assembly video there; the GitHub README covers wiring and software. (The project page lists the 3D-printed parts and other components (PDF), shows the assembly video and gives painting tips; the README covers wiring, calibration and the web server.)
  2. 2.Print the test parts first — the servo mount and one tread segment — to verify bed adhesion and layer height.(If these do not fit together cleanly at 0.2mm layers, calibrate before printing the full body.)
  3. 3.Order the electronics from the creator's component list - high-torque micro servos for the seven joints(The component list (PDF) on the project page has the full hardware, including M3 bolts, paper-clip linkages and binocular lenses for the eyes)
  4. 4.Follow the wiring diagram in the README when soldering, then run the servo calibration sketch(Test each servo individually before final assembly.)

KNOWN ISSUES

  • Using weak servos: the creator specifies high-torque micro servos for all seven joints, and the neck and head carry real weight.
  • Not calibrating your printer before starting. With 310 parts, small dimensional errors add up across the assembly, and the creator warns this is not a project for people without much 3D printing experience.
  • Printing everything before testing fit. Print one arm assembly first, check tolerances, then queue the rest.
  • Underestimating print time: the creator spent more than a month printing, with the printer running almost every day; the main body parts took up to 14 hours each.
  • Skipping the servo calibration step in the code. The web interface will send the wrong angles and the head will jitter or stall.
  • Not securing the Raspberry Pi's SD card. If it corrupts mid-demo, you lose the web interface and sound files.

Can I scale the model up or down?

The STLs are sized for the specified servos and motor mounts. Scaling will misalign screw holes and bearing seats — you would need to redesign several parts.

Does it actually roll around like in the movie?

Yes. The treads are driven by two 12 V geared DC motors through a motor controller shield on the Arduino, and the web interface has a joystick (or a game controller) for driving.

What if I do not have a Raspberry Pi?

The Arduino runs the servos independently, but you lose the web interface and sound effects. You could rewrite the control code for an ESP32 with WiFi.

How movie-accurate is it?

It is designed from reference images and loosely based on ChaosCoreTech's earlier replica, and it is clearly recognisable. It is not an official or licensed replica.

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Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

It is a long print queue — and the servo calibration step in the code is the difference between smooth animation and servos that overshoot. What would you print first to test your setup?

CompareeTEAM2mo agoedited

Practical notes from our verification: the GitHub repository holds the code, not the build guide — the Arduino sketch for motors and servos (with an animation queue, random movements and battery monitoring), a separate servo calibration sketch, and a Python/Flask web interface for the Raspberry Pi with joystick, gamepad and text-to-speech support. The 3D models (STL and STEP) are on Thingiverse, and the build guide and an official assembly video are on the creator's site, wired.chillibasket.com. The electronics are an Arduino Uno with a motor controller shield, an I2C servo controller driving seven high-torque micro servos, two 12 V geared drive motors, a buck converter, and a Raspberry Pi with USB camera and speaker, all running from a 12 V pack such as an 11.1 V LiPo. Do the calibration step before running animations — until it is done, the README warns the servos may try to move further than they should. Note that Jeremy Fielding's 'Making A Real WALL-E' series on YouTube is a different project. Correction (4 October 2026): we re-checked this page line by line against the project's own repository, documentation and videos, and fixed errors in earlier versions.

Simon Bluett

Simon Bluett designed this WALL-E replica from scratch in SolidWorks, loosely based on the dimensions of ChaosCoreTech's earlier replica, and released the code on GitHub and the parts on Thingiverse. Many makers have since built and remixed it.

GitHub

Star the project on GitHub

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  • Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
  • Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
  • Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
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