Abstract
This paper presents EduSCARA, an affordable and industrially relevant Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm (SCARA) development platform. Designed to lower the barrier to industrial robotics, EduSCARA provides a complete, hands-on environment that closely replicates the architecture and challenges of professional systems without the prohibitive cost or complexity. The manipulator features a 3D-printed RRPR design actuated by hobby-grade servomotors, with PID-tunable closed-loop control on the planar axes. Its modular and transparent design supports both hardware and firmware customisation, while the Python API gives learners a versatile platform for experimentation. Validation of the system shows ± 3.5 mm repeatability at high speeds and a 100 g payload capacity, supporting small-scale educational and practical tasks. In contrast to traditional industrial robots, often costing tens of thousands of pounds, EduSCARA empowers learners to experiment, debug, and innovate at a fraction of the cost of many other educational robotics platforms. More than just a small robot, EduSCARA serves as a gateway to industrial robotics, making high-impact, professional-grade learning truly accessible.