urdf_tutorial: Learning URDF Step by Step

1. Building a Visual Robot Model with URDF from Scratch - Learn how to build a visual model of a robot that you can view in Rviz

2. Building a Movable Robot Model with URDF - Learn how to define movable joints in URDF

3. Adding Physical and Collision Properties to a URDF Model - Learn how to add collision and inertial properties to links, and how to add joint dynamics to joints.

4. Using Xacro to Clean Up a URDF File - Learn some tricks to reduce the amount of code in a URDF file using Xacro

See also urdf_sim_tutorial for the final tutorial: Using a URDF in Gazebo - Preliminary tutorial on how to spawn and control your robot in Gazebo.

Changelog for package urdf_tutorial

1.1.0 (2023-09-29)

• Precommit configuration (#64)
• Use urdf_launch package (#65)
• Add gazebo export to package.xml and tidy up package.xml (#63)
• More reasonable inertia values. (#58)
• upgrade dae files (#60) (#61)
• Add in a LICENSE file. (#57)
• Contributors: Andreas Bihlmaier, Chris Lalancette, David V. Lu!!

1.0.0 (2021-12-06)

• Fixing a problem that failed the startup of launch file of this package on my ROS2 Galactic installation (#53)
• Rebasing Commits from ROS 1 Branch (#51)
• Updated launch file (#50)
• Updated rviz to rviz2 in package.xml (#49)
• Port over to ROS2 foxy (#45)
• Contributors: Arturs Elksnis, David V. Lu!!, Kuni Natsuki, Leo Stanislas

0.2.5 (2017-04-28)

• New ROS Control Tutorial
• Remove dependency on pr2_description (uses local meshes instead)
• General cleanup, bug fixes and reorganization
• Contributors: David V. Lu!!, Felix Duvallet, Paul Bovbel, Thibault Kruse

0.2.4 (2015-04-24)

• Maintainer list changes
• Add .rviz as an arg
• fix gazebo.launch for indigo, update to new package name
• Add run depends
• Contributors: David V. Lu, Ioan A Sucan, Isaac IY Saito, Kei Okada

0.2.3 (2014-01-09)

• Merge pull request #7 from gavanderhoorn/issue6_source_vs_devel_vs_install Fix issue #6: No robot model when using display.launch (again)
• Setup new directory structure and move files around.
• Contributors: Ioan A Sucan, gavanderhoorn

0.2.2 (2013-12-16)

• Merge pull request #5 from gavanderhoorn/issue4_missing_robot_model_display Fix issue #4: missing RobotModel display
• Make roslaunch stop all nodes on RViz exit.
• Update path to RViz config in display.launch. Fix #4. Seems xacrodisplay.launch was already fixed, but somehow display.launch was not updated. See #3.
• fix #3
• Contributors: Ioan Sucan, gavanderhoorn

0.2.1 (2013-05-28 14:04)

• update package name and install location for compatibility with previous build system
• Contributors: Ioan Sucan

0.2.0 (2013-05-28 13:47)

• catkinizing package
• Merge pull request #1 from ros-industrial/master Rviz config file update
• Ported rviz config file to new groovy format. Updated launch files to use new config file
• Added tag unstable for changeset bd8da58ba34e
• Added tag robot_model_tutorials-0.1.2 for changeset 6ac373f839e0
• getting ready for 0.1.2 release
• Added tag unstable for changeset dcec5b1f8ed8
• Added tag robot_model_tutorials-0.1.1 for changeset e023b0707337
• getting ready for 0.1.1 release
• Automated merge with https://kforge.ros.org/robotmodel/tutorials
• update stack dependencies
• Added tag unstable for changeset b22bbf7d7850
• Added tag robot_model_tutorials-0.1.0 for changeset a0b3b46efc95
• initial copy
• Updated meta-data, JointStatePublisher with merging ability
• Cleaning up some manifests
• URDF Tutorial
• Bug Fix 3101648
• Joint Controller renamed and reworked as Joint_state_publisher
• Screenshot for Joint controller
• Initial URDF Tools Package
• Contributors: Ioan Sucan, Shaun Edwards, Wim Meeussen, isucan, probablydavid