Vendor Information
Timely acquisition of the best hardware possible for a mechatronics project is critical for success. It's important to be very familiar with hardware vendors in order to make good decisions (and save money).
Key advice when buying equipment:
1. Only buy items that are in stock (unless you like waiting).
2. Use PayPal unless the company is in North America and well trusted
(e.g. Amazon, Robotshop, Digikey, Abra Electronics, Ebay, etc.).
3. Vendors outside of North America can take a long time to ship (2 weeks to 2+ months) with non-expedited shipping, so order your equipment as soon as possible to avoid project delays.
Note: if you find something in the US that doesn't ship to Canada that you absolutely must have you can use the following forwarding service
https://www.myus.com - this is the top rated service
Mechatronic Equipment Vendors (top 10 list)
Note: I recommend using Paypal for most online purchases except for Amazon, Robotshop, Digikey, Abra Electronics, Ebay, etc.
PayPal is more safe and you don’t have to waste time filling out address, etc. when buying stuff.
1. Robotshop
http://www.robotshop.com/ca/en/robot-parts.html
- great site and wide selection
- make sure to only buy parts in stock (estimates for backordered parts can be inaccurate)
2. Banggood
- great selection and low prices
- you should use Expedited Shipping Service ($5-$10) if possible (5-8 days to deliver), but the price can increase if you order from more than one warehouses (different items can ship from different warehouses).
- note a duty / tax / processing fee (15% total) is normally also required with expedited shipping.
- US warehouse also delivers faster (standard shipping takes 5-10 days based on my experience)
- Free shipping takes anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 months to deliver. Can be even be two weeks during the summer (the less busy mailing season) to 2+ months after Chinese new year.
3. Abra electronics
https://abra-electronics.com/?currency=CAN
- similar to Robotshop but they also sell electronic components
- local store in Montreal so you can avoid shipping (but farther away than Spikenzielabs below)
- shipping is a bit expensive (minimum $50 order)
4. Hobbyking
- widest variety of multi-copter motors, batteries, speed controllers, radios, etc.
- great place to get ideas about different types of drones and equipment
- good prices and great sale prices on occasion
- FedEx shipping is very quick (2-7 days)
- duty / tax (about 15%) is charged for larger orders (>$50)
5. Amazon
https://www.amazon.ca - free prime shipping
http://www.amazon.com - more selection than amazon.ca and fast shipping
6. Local hardware stores
http://www.canadiantire.ca - for hardware and some materials
https://www.homedepot.ca - for hardware and materials (wood, plastic, etc.)
http://www.dollarama.com/ - good for some hardware and materials -- it’s best to check them first since they are very inexpensive
7. Servo city
- great for RC servos (and specifications) and DC motors. Also the best selection of modular mechanical robot components:
https://www.servocity.com/servos/servoblocks -- great idea
https://www.servocity.com/motion-components/rotary-motion
https://www.servocity.com/structural-components
https://www.servocity.com/kits
https://www.servocity.com/actobotics
8. Sparkfun
- similar to Robotshop with a somewhat different selection
- carries alot of stock (in case you’re making an army of robots)
9. Spikenzielabs
- have a local store in Montreal close to Concordia so you can avoid shipping
10. McMaster-Carr
https://www.mcmaster.com/ - by far the best place for nuts, bolts, and many other types of fasteners / mechanical components.
11. Digikey (I know this is more than 10 but it’s hard to leave this one off)
- widest range of electronic components and very fast shipping (usually overnight by noon) -- they must be using robots !
- make sure to search for "through hole" components unless you like small hard to solder surface mount circuits :)
Other good vendors:
https://www.ebay.ca/ - sometimes you can get good buys on used industrial motors, amplifiers, etc.
https://banebots.com/ - great for DC motors and gears
http://www.readytoflyquads.com
- multi-copter equipment and a great selection of flight controllers (MultiWii, etc.)
- takes about 10 days for delivery with standard shipping
- excellent break-out boards for sensors and other components
- have very nice product designs and great documentation / software examples – normally my first choice unless some other brand has better specs
- support “Lady Ada”
- great source for motors, servos, amplifiers, regulators, IMUs, etc.
- good place to get ideas
https://micro-motor-warehouse.com
- multi-copter motors and *inexpensive pinions* (note motors often come with no pinions)
- takes about 7 days to ship with standard shipping
http://www.kysanelectronics.com/product_class_search.php - great for motors and related equipment
http://servosystems.com - best place for inexpensive larger industrial motors and amplifiers – I used them a lot in graduate school
https://www.itead.cc/ - an excellent manufacturer of good quality inexpensive Arduino nano boards and other components (sensor boards, etc.).
http://www.freetronics.com.au/ - some good Arduino components
http://rctimer.com - multi-copter equipment
http://www.horizonhobby.com - multi-copter equipment, Spektrum transmitter / receiver products
http://www.aeorc.cn/products/motor/edf-upgraded-plus-version.html - best source for electric ducted fans (EDFs)
http://www.micromo.com/dc-motors - small industrial grade motors
http://www.lemon-rx.com - good inexpensive radio receivers
http://www.bphobbies.com - EDFs, carbon stock, etc.
https://www.udisco.com - has a local store in Montreal
http://www.twistedhobbys.com - foam planes and multi-copter equipment
International Online Vendors
These vendors are a good source of inexpensive components especially for hobbies and multi-copters. I use them fairly often. Most of them have free shipping (they don't even seem to charge duty for orders less than $50) but it can take a relatively long time (2 weeks to 2+ months). Make sure to use PayPal.
Note you can also get components on these sites by searching for parts (e.g. Syma X5C parts). Normally it's a good idea to buy spare blades, motors, batteries, etc. for multi-copters.
- best selection, has US warehouse which delivers in 5 to 10 days
- recent items I ordered from the Chinese warehouse took 25 days to arrive with free shipping
- great source for multi-copter equipment
- one item I ordered took 2 weeks to arrive and another item 25 days with free shipping
- I've had good luck and fast shipping with the seller “uvitamine”
- one item was delivered in 10 days and another item in 15 days (free shipping)
- good for electronics items
- recent orders have taken 20 days to arrive with free shipping
- has some hard to find items
- can order inexpensive items in bulk
Electronics Component Vendors
I don't always like making circuits, but when I do I use:
Online:
- widest range of electronic components and fast shipping (usually overnight by noon)
- make sure to search for "through hole" components unless you like small hard to solder surface mount circuits :)
http://ca.mouser.com – main digikey rival and less expensive for some things
http://www.omnipro.net - good for ICs to interface with optical encoders - I've used them a few times for that.
http://canada.newark.com/ - have a different selection for some items
http://www.futureelectronics.com/en - in Montreal
https://www.arrow.com - in Montreal
Stores in Montreal (no shipping required):
https://addison-electronique.com - big selection