www.robowars.org

RoboWars Australia Forum Index -> Builders Reports

Dual Citizen - Slightly Evil Robotics - SA
Goto page 1, 2  Next

Post new topic   Reply to topic
  Author    Thread
evil_steve



Joined: 06 Sep 2015
Posts: 304
Location: Adelaide, SA


 Reply with quote  
Dual Citizen - Slightly Evil Robotics - SA

New sportsman time! After Vivid last year I started thinking about making a multi-bot sportsman, so my son and I could drive at the same time. I liked the idea of two similarly weighted bots with different weapons that could work well as a team up, and decided on a clamp bot and a saw bot. I hadn't seen this idea used before - then Crackers and Smash did something similar in the latest Robot Wars season. My wife came up with the name Dual Citizen, as my son is one, and we have also talked about making a bigger version (lightweight maybe) to take to Robogames one year with him driving an "American" bot and me an "Aussie" one.

I've been slowly gathering parts and tinkering with bits and pieces, but since registering both Zenghiaro (which has also been tinkered with since Nationals) and Dual Citizen for Vivid I realised I'd better crack on with actually building the new bots. My antweight Kinda Saw-ta was built as a sort of test of the saw bot idea, it's gone through a few iterations and the current design is fun to drive, if variably effective. The saw multibot is essentially a larger version of that, built using the same construction techniques I used in Zenghiaro (ali tube core to hold the drive motors, and cutting board screwed together with inset nuts). So far I've got the chassis mostly put together and driving about (the uprights at the front are temporary, I threw them on so I could drive it around today), I'm hoping to finish this bot and get a chunk more done on the second one this weekend.

Post Thu Apr 27, 2017 10:49 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message
Ondray



Joined: 06 Jul 2015
Posts: 142
Location: Newcastle


 Reply with quote  

I see you've reduced the chassis dimensions to use red wheels Smile

Post Thu Apr 27, 2017 11:05 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message
evil_steve



Joined: 06 Sep 2015
Posts: 304
Location: Adelaide, SA


 Reply with quote  

Yeah, I've learnt that lesson! I'm slowly learning to make my bots a bit more compact.

Post Fri Apr 28, 2017 8:26 am 
 View user's profile Send private message
evil_steve



Joined: 06 Sep 2015
Posts: 304
Location: Adelaide, SA


 Reply with quote  

Well, I managed to get less done on the bots last weekend than I planned (due to cutting my finger and needing a couple of stitches), but more this weekend despite working both mornings.

The saw bot (I'm debating giving them individual names, it'd make referencing them easier, but I feel like I need to make them thematically consistent, like calling the saw bot "Yank" and the clamp bot "Ozzie", but I'm not sure how well that works geopolitically or culturally) has new metal front supports and upgraded wheels - I've noticed Harley (amongst others - it seems a common thing in the UK) gluing/screwing bike tyre to the red wheels, which seemed a great idea and adds a centimetre or two of much needed clearance at the back of the bot. (Looking at this photo I've remembered I still need to cut and fit the last two side panels!)



I've in theory got all the bits of the weapon ready to go in, but I'm waiting on a 1/2" BSP tap for the weapon pulley as part of my hare-brained scheme to connect it to the saw blade. In case it doesn't get here in time (nowhere I've tried locally has them in stock at the moment, so I've ordered one off the interwebz that was supposed to "ship within 24h" but hasn't been sent yet, a week later) I'm trying 3D printed pulleys - I figure I can print 4 for Vivid and treat them as a consumable for each match if needed. I'm then using a plumbing fitting to cut the thread in the plastic, which is sorta working but takes effort.



Most of my work this weekend has been on the clamp bot. I'm trying 4x (probably underpowered) Actobotics gearmotors and wheels, with the latter also getting the bike tyre upgrade. The chassis is mostly done - I just need to make the two top plates and (probably) some wheel armour.




I'm also using the 3D printer to test the geometry of the clamp parts before actually cutting metal. They've gone through 4 versions now and I still need to change the lower jaws again as they're riding on the ground and catching on my carpet - I figure raising them 2-3 mm should do it. The proper parts won't have such nice curves, unless I decide I want to get someone to laser/watercut them for me (not sure I have time now anyway).



A lead screw will join the upper jaws to the weapon motor, thankfully I've realised I have space to use a much less complicated mechanism (ie, a drill chuck) than I first thought. I'm making all the brackets myself out of 3mm mild steel so they fit what I need - they're a bit "backyard shed" but they seem to work, no idea if they'll stand up to the rigours of combat though.

Post Mon May 08, 2017 12:12 am 
 View user's profile Send private message
Glen
Experienced Roboteer


Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 9481
Location: Where you least expect


 Reply with quote  

Looking great! Ive got an electric scooter that ran for some time on an ABS pulley, i think it will work okay Smile
_________________
www.demon50s.com - Minimoto parts
http://www.youtube.com/user/HyzerGlen - Videoooozzz

Post Mon May 08, 2017 10:54 am 
 View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website MSN Messenger
pilleya



Joined: 31 Mar 2016
Posts: 91
Location: Sydney


 Reply with quote  

Printed pulley should work fine for something low-torque such as a blade. If you tension your belt correctly you shouldn't have any problems with the setup.

The robot as you have so far looks more like a 12'er then a 30. Yes, those motors are going to be seriously underpowered( you'll be lucky if each one is more than 10 watts max power) as well as the gearboxes being very, very susceptible to impact damage.

Post Mon May 08, 2017 2:12 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message
evil_steve



Joined: 06 Sep 2015
Posts: 304
Location: Adelaide, SA


 Reply with quote  

Yeah, the gearboxes are what I'm worried about. 12-15lb is what I'm aiming for with each of these, to keep the combined weight under 30lb.

Post Mon May 08, 2017 6:04 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message
Don
Experienced Roboteer


Joined: 21 Feb 2010
Posts: 355
Location: Gladstone, Queesland


 Reply with quote  

Great looking bots, they a soo neat and tidy

Post Thu May 11, 2017 11:06 am 
 View user's profile Send private message MSN Messenger
evil_steve



Joined: 06 Sep 2015
Posts: 304
Location: Adelaide, SA


 Reply with quote  

Thanks! I think the white cutting board helps them look neater than they are. The wiring in the clamp but shouldn't end up as crazy-messy as Zenghiaro, but I still have to work out it'll all go and I suspect it'll be a lot less neat in the end.

Based on the encouragement here I'm pressing ahead with a 3D printed pulley on the blade, with an aluminium one on the motor. This is all fitting together nicely now and I just have to mount the motor to the frame. No photos unfortunately - I didn't take my camera or phone when I was in the shed earlier and it's too bloody cold tonight to go out there again.

Post Thu May 11, 2017 11:09 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message
evil_steve



Joined: 06 Sep 2015
Posts: 304
Location: Adelaide, SA


 Reply with quote  

Managed to get a bit of work done on the bots this weekend (the wife was wonderful enough not to mind when I disappeared to the shed for a bit on Mother's Day).

I amused the courier on Friday when he delivered this package to work - he was telling the receptionists that he'd been delivering a few "weird shaped" packages for me lately. This had some M8 and M10 allthread rod, a heap of various nuts and bolts ... and the 1/2" BSP tap I've been waiting for. I'll try tapping the aluminium pulley at some stage but for the moment I'm sticking with the 3D printed one.



Here's the parts of the weapon system - the large pulley has one plumbing part screwed into it (with some effort - it's a tight fit, but the direction of rotation should also keep it all screwed in), and then another hacksawed part fits through the blade and screws into the first part, sandwiching the blade in the middle. Both parts have a 10mm bearing inside (a tight press fit).




And here's the state of the bots as of this evening:



The clamp bot (which I really should have taken some photos of today) still needs:
-> a removable link (which I've 3D printed a mount for) and power light soldered up
-> side wheel armour (started)
-> the clamp jaws cut out of metal - the geometry of the 5th version of the 3D printed test jaws works great. I found that I have some left-over 6061-T6 from Zenghiaro's lifting arms so I'll stock up on jigsaw blades and make at least the lower jaws out of that

The saw bot still needs:
-> a power light fitted (think I've already got one soldered up for it), and the removable link properly (ie probably a zip tie) secured
-> the weapon motor fitted - I've measured and marked where it needs to go, just need to take the bot apart some to drill the holes
-> side armour (behind the wheels mostly, but protects the battery on one side and the electronics on the other)
-> a weapon guard

Post Sun May 14, 2017 11:48 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message
evil_steve



Joined: 06 Sep 2015
Posts: 304
Location: Adelaide, SA


 Reply with quote  

This week (and especially today!) have been crazy busy at work, but I've managed to find some time here and there to wok on the bots, helped largely by a meeting one afternoon being cancelled.

The clamp bot now has it's wheel guards, power light, and removable link (I designed the XT60 mount in Tinkercad, it can be found here if anyone is interested). There's also now foam padding and velcro hold down tie for the battery. I've started drilling and cutting the proper clamp jaws out of some 1/4" 6061-T6 leftovers from Zenghiaro's lifting forks, but ran out of sociable hours to be using power tools.




Here's the extremely home-made linkage for the clamp mechanism, I actually made it last week but realised I hadn't shown off it's bodgy glory yet.



The saw bot has been partially dismantled to make it easier to fit the weapon pulley but once put back together will be almost done. It needs side armour on the left (right side in this picture), and a weapon guard/lock, but I think is otherwise done.



I also managed to work-out how to set the failsafe on the AFHDS 2 receivers that came with my FlySky transmitters - I had to set and save each channel one at a time.

Post Fri May 19, 2017 11:57 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message
evil_steve



Joined: 06 Sep 2015
Posts: 304
Location: Adelaide, SA


 Reply with quote  

Well, after a weekend which mercifully only had one thing on (which was, however, several hours of antweight robot fighting) I've managed to essentially finish all my bots for Vivid. Oh, and in time to show them off at out monthly fight night yesterday (don't worry, via static display).

I'd forgotten quite how aggressively 6061-T6 aluminium wrecks jigsaw blades - in the end the lower clamps were cut about 50:50 with jigsaw and by hand with a hacksaw, and I made the tactical decision to cut the more topographically challenging upper clamps out of 5mm steel instead, using my one remaining metal jigsaw blade. Got them done though, but when this bot gets redesigned/rebuilt down the track I'm getting the damn things laser/water cut.




For the saw bot, I decided that as I'd bought the fancy (well, hard to find in stock) BSP tap I should actually use it. Unfortunately, the largest tap wrench I have is just fractionally too small to fit it - an adjustable spanner works though.



The weapon system turns smoother with the proper aluminium pulley so I'm going to use that primarily, with my printed one as the back-up. I just need to cut some spacers to stop it moving on the shaft and it's ready to fight.





Here's the duo together, and alongside Zenghiaro (whose build diary I need to get around to updating). As Ben said last night when he saw them, "you can tell you built them".




Still to do before Vivid: decorate the bots, cut and paint the weapon lock for the saw bot, make nice stands for both bots (rather than the scrap pieces of wood I used last night), buy and solder up some brighter power LEDs (turns out they are not the same ones I put in Zenghiaro), sort out what tools and spare parts I'm taking, and then work out how I'm packing the lot. But apart from all that, they're done.

Post Sun May 21, 2017 11:31 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message
Cpnwolfe



Joined: 29 May 2012
Posts: 454
Location: Rockhampton/qld


 Reply with quote  

Nicely done mate can't wait to see them!
_________________
Creative Instigation - Build Something Awesome!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTuWeJ4OrAcsmjKir9L4JNg

https://www.facebook.com/CreativeInstigation/

Post Mon May 22, 2017 5:28 am 
 View user's profile Send private message
Valen
Experienced Roboteer


Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Posts: 4436
Location: Sydney


 Reply with quote  

damn looking good there
_________________
Mechanical engineers build weapons, civil engineers build targets

Post Mon May 22, 2017 3:17 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website AIM Address Yahoo Messenger MSN Messenger ICQ Number
Nick
Experienced Roboteer


Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 11802
Location: Sydney, NSW


 Reply with quote  

That's a good looking robot horde! Sawnado is itching for some saw on saw action Smile
_________________
Australian 2015 Featherweight champion
UK 2016 Gladiator champion

Post Mon May 22, 2017 6:04 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message
  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.