www.robowars.org

RoboWars Australia Forum Index -> Builders Reports

Adelaide Antwieght Arena


Post new topic   Reply to topic
  Author    Thread
Fryddog



Joined: 24 Sep 2015
Posts: 75
Location: Adelaide


 Reply with quote  
Adelaide Antwieght Arena

Thought I'd start something describing our Adelaide Antweight Arena and any future upgrades we make.

The arena is 1.2m x 1.2m, with 100mm high walls. The arena is made of 12mm plywood, with some timber bracing underneath. The arena sits on the legs stripped from two cheap bunnings saw horses.
It also has a shelf on either end to hold your beer while decimating your opponent. Very Happy


The arena has two 150mm x 150mm pits. They are each activated by a 12V door solenoid (found on ebay). They each have a detachable box for catching those unfortunate bots.


The shield we made for the arena is 3mm polycarbonate, bought from Kinda Plastics in Para Hills. Also put in two little hatches on opposite corners for putting bots in.
The shield disassembles into four pieces for transport.


Doing all the thinking and counting for our matches is an Arduino Mega. The Arduino is connected to a relay board, a mini amplifier with speaker and two 3D printed remote boxes (credit: James2 again!). The boxes hang on opposite ends of the arena and unplug from the wiring to allow for transport. The remote boxes each have a start/pause pushbutton, a reset pushbutton, a blue running led, a yellow active hazard led and green minute indication leds (1 min, 2 min and 3 min).


When the start button is pushed, the Arduino starts counting down from 3 seconds and then starts timing a 3 minute match. With each countdown second and with each minute marker, a tone is played through the speaker and the corresponding green minute led is lit up. If the start button is pushed during a match, the count is paused and a tone is played. The match is resumed with another start button push. The reset button is pretty self explanatory; a push on this stops and resets the match clock and puts the Arduino back to a state that is ready for another match to start.
Anywhere between the 30 second and 60 second mark during a match, each pit solenoid is activated randomly. A 5 second warning tone is sounded before each pit activation. Each pit solenoid deactivates 5 seconds after activation (once the pit hatch has dropped) to save on battery power.
This is one of the remote boxes (the shield is cut out around each remote box):


The next upgrade will be adding another remote box, mounted on the arena wall. This box will house a 2x20 character LCD module. Once programmed right (fingers crossed!), we will be able to set parameters for each match (only before a match starts) without having to re-upload program changes from my lappy, to the Arduino every time. This remote box will also house a key operated switch, to prevent anyone from messing with the parameters before a match.
The parameters I was thinking of throwing into this display were:
- match length
- hazard activation and times
- tone selection
- Match time indication (displayed once a match starts)

Post Fri Apr 15, 2016 10:54 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message
Cpnwolfe



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


 Reply with quote  

that is sweet!
_________________
Creative Instigation - Build Something Awesome!

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

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

Post Sat Apr 16, 2016 7:53 am 
 View user's profile Send private message
Fryddog



Joined: 24 Sep 2015
Posts: 75
Location: Adelaide


 Reply with quote  

Arena upgrades!

Over the last couple weeks we've made a few upgrades to our Antweight arena.

James2 has added a deans power connector so we can run the arena off 6 5Ah lipos that he has. Should give us 15 hours of power for our arena, worst case scenario!
He's also added a USB power supply and a small hub so we can power the GoPros we use... or anyone's phone Cool



I've done a bit of tidying up on the rest of the wiring and added some cables to a 14 pin connector which will connect to the LCD screen module that is almost done. Just waiting on some buttons to be printed for the it and then it should all be done!




And this is the finished underside of our arena! Not pretty but no one's gonna see it anyway Very Happy




Stuff on the LCD add-on coming soon.

Post Mon May 30, 2016 8:14 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message
Don
Experienced Roboteer


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


 Reply with quote  

thats a really great looking arena Shocked Very Happy Cool

Post Sat Jun 04, 2016 10:56 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message MSN Messenger
Fryddog



Joined: 24 Sep 2015
Posts: 75
Location: Adelaide


 Reply with quote  

Upgrades and repairs!

The arena has had a few improvements over the last month:

- The arena got a birthday! This was mostly a new paint job but we also got a new curtain made to wrap around the sides to class it up a bit!



- The arena had recently started developing a fault where the Arduino that controlled our matches would reset every time one of the two trap door solenoids would release after actuating. Turns out it was just a bit of back EMF and a free wheeling diode fixed that right up.



- We've got a lid! We build an mdf lid that rests on top of the arena shield. The lid has 5 downlights mounted facing downwards. The led lights are red, blue, yellow and green, which mount on the edges. The fifth is a cool white led light, positioned in the centre. These lights are powered by a 3S lipo mounted in the lid and controlled by the Arduino, through an extension cable to some solid state relays. Last meet these lights didn't work at all. Turns out I got mixed up with the solid state relay and wired the load side wrong. Fried the red and white light in the process but lucky I had spares!!!





Next improvements:
- Get that LCD module debugged and working.
- Build a second Antweight Arena! This way we can use the current arena for extra open air antweight matches at our meets.

Post Wed Aug 03, 2016 8:15 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message
Fryddog



Joined: 24 Sep 2015
Posts: 75
Location: Adelaide


 Reply with quote  

New arena time!

The old one was developing faults, mostly due to loose connections and high resistance joints. It was also getting pretty wrecked from spinner bots. So it was a perfect excuse to make a stronger and better designed arena! And we got it finished just in time to show off at Adelaide Maker Faire last weekend.
It's pretty much the same size, only made with chipboard this time and given a stronger frame beneath for transport. Plus a nicer paint job!



We've also wired the start and stop match controls into two permanent remote panels.
One is for the referee; it has a start and reset button and a small LCD for changing match parameters. The joystick is for navigating the LCD menu (goes with the buttons well!).
The other panel is for the competitors; a ready button for each fighter. Fans of Battlebots will appreciate it. Very Happy




Each pit was repositioned to the sides of the arena and each is now held in place until the random activation time by an electromagnet. This way, if pit activation fails, it doesn't get stuck up top and the match still gets a hazard. Each pit also now has a resetting servo which activates at the start of each match, saving the trouble of taking down the catch boxes to reset the trap doors.

Post Tue Nov 08, 2016 10:04 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message
miles&Jules
Experienced Roboteer


Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 3973
Location: ipswich QLD


 Reply with quote  

Your arena is looking super slick- impressive work guys😎
_________________
Miles Blow - Julie Pitts
www.mulesfilm.com.au
www.wombokforest.com.au

-Pickasso- Vivid Sportsman champion 2015

Post Tue Nov 08, 2016 11:10 pm 
 View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
  Display posts from previous:      

Forum Jump:
Jump to:  

Post new topic   Reply to topic
Page 1 of 1


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.