www.robowars.org

RoboWars Australia Forum Index -> Technical Chat

My next bot
Goto page 1, 2  Next

Post new topic   Reply to topic
  Author    Thread
DumHed
Experienced Roboteer


Joined: 29 Jun 2004
Posts: 1219
Location: Sydney


 Reply with quote  
My next bot

I'm currently tossing up various ideas of what I should build for the next battle.
I'd kinda like to do something a bit different, as an experiment, and just to go against the norm (I'm like that) if possible.

I thought about trying to pack amazing amounts of energy into a 12kg spinner, but it's a bit of a cop out in some ways - and will probably end up putting metal shards through my head during testing Razz

I've thought about a drilling bot, with a very high speed drill that can penetrate armour quickly - but the hard thing is not breaking the drill bit, and being able to remove it once it's in the other bot.

I still like the idea of a really tough and really powerful ram-bot, but most of the bots I saw on the weekend would hold up to a lot of ramming with no issues. Traction is more of a problem than I expected too with only 12kg of weight.

I'm pretty fond of the idea of playing with some pneumatics, and trying to do a really good flipper. Since most bots are invertable there's not that much point flipping them unless the flipping action is violent enough to cause some damage. I think it's doable though Smile

Looking through the rules I see that a hovering bot is allowed. I've always liked hovercraft - so the idea of a hoverbot is quite interesting. The main problem I can see though is that a weapon is going to be hard to do, so it'd have to be a brick bot kind of thing. One nice aspect of it though is that any hits will push the bot along instead of the energy being absorbed.


Soooo, what do people want to see? Smile

Here's your opportunity to get me to build something totally impractical - and then teach me a lesson by smashing it to bits in competition!
_________________
The Engine Whisperer - fixer of things

Post Wed Jul 07, 2004 11:13 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website MSN Messenger ICQ Number
mytqik



Joined: 26 Jun 2004
Posts: 127


 Reply with quote  

How about combining the spinner & the however craft idea & have a full body hovercraft spinner??

While I am at it, Dumhead if you have a spare couple of minutes, could you please put a sketch together of your $30 servo controller setup? I am a mechanical guy, so electrons flowing down a piece of copper confuse the crap out of me.

Post Wed Jul 07, 2004 11:26 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
DumHed
Experienced Roboteer


Joined: 29 Jun 2004
Posts: 1219
Location: Sydney


 Reply with quote  

hmm, spinner hovercraft would be interesting Smile

the hard part is having directional control of it while doing the spinning - but mayeb that's not so important Very Happy

I'll take a photo of the servo controller setup if I remember tomorrow
_________________
The Engine Whisperer - fixer of things

Post Wed Jul 07, 2004 11:33 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website MSN Messenger ICQ Number
Spockie-Tech
Site Admin


Joined: 31 May 2004
Posts: 3160
Location: Melbourne, Australia


 Reply with quote  

No one has done an overhead thwack-bot yet.. like Overkill or whatever that funny car-wheeled UK bot was called.. (Stinger maybe ?)

They're not a very effective design in terms of damage and are very hard to drive (unless your name is Christian Carlberg), but big swinging blades look cool, even if they usually only win on points, rather than hard kills.

Likewise Clamps and Crushers.. Pinscher is the closest to a clamp bot we have in the 12Kg class so far. very hard to do in 12Kg though with the intricate mechanics required.

If you're in the mood for spinners, I dont think we have any Phrizbee-style shell spinners that I know of yet.

p.s. since I've mainly watched all the BattleBots tapes, but only a few Robot Wars episodes, I often find my comaprisons to US bots are lost on many Australians who have mainly (or only) seen Robot Wars, so if these names dont mean anything to you, maybe someone who is more familair with UK bots can fill in some equivalents.

Post Wed Jul 07, 2004 11:34 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website MSN Messenger
DumHed
Experienced Roboteer


Joined: 29 Jun 2004
Posts: 1219
Location: Sydney


 Reply with quote  

hmmm, how exactly does the overhead thwack bot work?
Do you have links to any pics?

I was most impressed with Pinscher actually - mainly in the driving, but some of the "catches" done on the weekend were damn good!

Years ago I decided that if Robot Wars type comps ever came over here I'd build a full body spinning dome type bot, since I hadn't seen one done before.
I ended up finding one on a web site, and it was apparently the first bot ever to be disqualified for lauching bits of other bots into the audience Smile

It's still an option though I guess!
_________________
The Engine Whisperer - fixer of things

Post Wed Jul 07, 2004 11:41 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website MSN Messenger ICQ Number
Spockie-Tech
Site Admin


Joined: 31 May 2004
Posts: 3160
Location: Melbourne, Australia


 Reply with quote  

http://www.coolrobots.com/robots/overkill.html

Its usually a two-wheel drive tube of some sort with a hammer attached that uses the torque reaction of reversing the drive direction to swing the body (with the hammer or blade attached) over.

Ah yes, you would probably be talking about US-Bot "Blendo" in the FBS. He won two events by being disqualified for being too powerful in the days before fully enclosed arena's were the norm.. he was told "OK, you win, but sorry we cant let you fight, you might kill the audience".. Shocked

Actually, some Ziggo (again US, a smaller blendo) style bots would be cool.

They're not invertible, and like Bar spinners quite tricky to get to hold together over the course of a competition.. Gary's partially completed hobbyweight "Flying Saucer" was designed in that vein before everyone headed for the featherweight class..

Springs are another interesting idea for powerful energy storage, particularly lightweight composite springs, but the release mechanism is the tricky part.

Post Wed Jul 07, 2004 11:47 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website MSN Messenger
DumHed
Experienced Roboteer


Joined: 29 Jun 2004
Posts: 1219
Location: Sydney


 Reply with quote  

aha!

that thing looks like a modified Segway Razz
now *there's* an idea! Smile

That sort of design is certainly going to be pretty hard to do a lot of damage with, but it does look cool!
The dome spinner type idea is also looking pretty good again...
Being pretty simple, maybe it's worth sticking with that for the meantime, then expanding on the idea later.

I really would like to do something that hovers - purely for the fun factor, but it'll be very hard to make it do any damage I think...
_________________
The Engine Whisperer - fixer of things

Post Wed Jul 07, 2004 11:53 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website MSN Messenger ICQ Number
Nexus
Experienced Roboteer


Joined: 17 Jun 2004
Posts: 903


 Reply with quote  

Cant stop putting my next bots parts together to see what shape it will be.
Will continue with the clamp bot but will have a second weapon.
Have borrowed and watched 5 seasons of battlebots numerous times thanks to Brett and about 5 of their robots will influence my next bot.
Diesector, overkill, minion. 2 individuals robots i suppose
New influence in the design is good ol Nicks evil spinner. Have to have a spinner killer weapon and be able to take about 6 hits. At the moment the shape the robot has a wedged front which opens as a lifter/clamp. The back half would be a solid tail holding a closest thing to a tow bar to lift up into a spinners blade. Looks a bit like overkill but with a clamp as well. Was thinking of an overhead thwack but the part i dont have and prob too expensive to find are the bearings required so will settle for a horizontall thwack tail that lifts up into blades. Boy does it have to be tough. With all the interest in spinners have to learn how to play with them.
_________________
Bots that do not destroy you, only make you stronger.

Post Thu Jul 08, 2004 12:35 am 
 View user's profile Send private message
andrew



Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 3110
Location: Castle Hill, Sydney. N.S.W


 Reply with quote  

Some great ideas flowing around guys. I was going to build a full body spinner next and still have this small megabite looking 2mm rusty steel shell barebecue lid if anyone wants it to play with also. Only thing is theres too many spinners these days for my tatses (not that im complaining). I am interested in going back to the old style weopons and such like lifters, axes etc. I am either making next a lifter, clampbot or a lifter and axe combo in both. I have most parts for them just need to see what comes about after today.

I think we need more designs like Gary's fleet and Pincher especially. It brings more colour and variety to the sport.

Your lucky George. I so wish i could see those battlebots series. Oh well if Brett gets them decoded and burns them ill buy some off him. Smile.
_________________
Andrew Welch, Team Unconventional Robotics

Post Thu Jul 08, 2004 9:02 am 
 View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail MSN Messenger
3Faze



Joined: 26 Jun 2004
Posts: 99
Location: Lincolnshire, UK


 Reply with quote  

Problem with a hoverbot is it can also be used as a hockey puck (I've done some heavy research on this).

One idea I was kicking around was a blimp which picks up the opponent and drops them from the arena roof.

Post Thu Jul 08, 2004 9:23 am 
 View user's profile Send private message
DumHed
Experienced Roboteer


Joined: 29 Jun 2004
Posts: 1219
Location: Sydney


 Reply with quote  

apparently blimps are not allowed though Sad

Also, have you worked out the amount of helium required for 12kg worth of lifting? Smile

The hockey puck effect is a problem with the hover bot, but it also means that most hits won't be very effective against it - as it'd rather fly off accross the arena than stay still and be damaged.

I reckon some amusement could be had by reversing the lift fan to "suck" the bot onto the floor for stability when using a weapon, or fighting a flipper.
_________________
The Engine Whisperer - fixer of things

Post Thu Jul 08, 2004 9:48 am 
 View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website MSN Messenger ICQ Number
kkeerroo
Experienced Roboteer


Joined: 17 Jun 2004
Posts: 1459
Location: Brisbane


 Reply with quote  

1 cubic meter of helium = 1kg of lift.
Thats why its banned. Nothing else would fit in the arena.
_________________
Get Some!!!

Secretary of the Queensland Robotics Sports Club inc.

Post Thu Jul 08, 2004 12:40 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Yahoo Messenger MSN Messenger
Timothy Forde
Experienced Roboteer


Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 247
Location: Vic ,Belgrave South


 Reply with quote  

Well if the hockypuck is spinning it would be intersting seeing it bounce around while hiting the other bot lol

Oh yea my next robot is rather ambisious but it's 4 drills for drive like ko with 2 drill powered actultors for a clamping jaw but i'm aiming for the robowars event so don't hold your breath lol. Yes this means it will no longer have 3 mm steel armor Rolling Eyes
_________________
Team KO

Post Thu Jul 08, 2004 1:54 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail MSN Messenger
Spockie-Tech
Site Admin


Joined: 31 May 2004
Posts: 3160
Location: Melbourne, Australia


 Reply with quote  

I think you'll have to ditch having *any* steel in your robot if you want to try that.

Thats *6* drill motors plus the actuator mechanisms. Pinscher only had 3 and had an all-aluminium chassis (the jaws are steel I think). If you want to get that many drill motors in, you're going to need to learn to weld magnesium, titanium or aluminium, go for Nicad batteries and be extra stingy on weight..

Singulatity was struggling to get in under weight with 6 drill motors, although it had a steel chassis and lead acid batteries.

Do-able, but tricky..

Post Thu Jul 08, 2004 2:23 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website MSN Messenger
andrew



Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 3110
Location: Castle Hill, Sydney. N.S.W


 Reply with quote  

I agree with Brett there. It will be a mongrel but is doable (i think). I did something similar as i was thinking of clamp bot using a ww motor driven window winder thing for the clamp arm and a winch cable pulling the whole jaw assembly up. I will maybe try it when i get the frame (a steel kitchen sink). But i am leaning towards just a lifter now as i am certain things will get tricky and if i can pull it off it will be sp fragile with teh jaw assemble that one hit form ahnialation, cobra evo or basilisk will require a trip to the dentist for the jaw.

May try a jaw bot if i get round to a lightweight actually but dont hole your breath. Thats why i admire pincher/viper so much is because its such a great design and such a strong and hard to beat robot.

Also singularity had aluminum (3mm i think) welded chassis. Not steel.
_________________
Andrew Welch, Team Unconventional Robotics

Post Thu Jul 08, 2004 2:43 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail MSN Messenger
  Display posts from previous:      

Forum Jump:
Jump to:  

Post new topic   Reply to topic
Page 1 of 2

Goto page 1, 2  Next

Forum Rules:
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

 

Last Thread | Next Thread  >
Powered by phpBB: © 2001 phpBB Group
millenniumFalcon Template By Vereor.