TeamExpat - antweight build(s)

All things antweight

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Ellis
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Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 9:40 pm

TeamExpat - antweight build(s)

Post by Ellis »

Hi all!

You may know me from the FRA forum as Relentless. I thought I'd try my hand at antweights, as I like the thought of being able to fiddle with something between featherweight builds. :P

Jumping straight into it, I have designed two machines, both basically the same in approach but quite different in build complexity. One has wheel protection and a scoopy bit that would work inverted, and the other is basically Original Sin. I think I am going to go for the latter as it's much more straight forward to build, even if the wheels are spinner food!

Pics of the CADs here: http://s1088.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... brary/Ants

Chassis materials will probably be a combination of mild steel, thin stainless, and HDPE, and eventually steel may get replaced with ti depending on how this goes.

For internals I have in mind:
4x low voltage 50:1 12mm Botbitz gearmotors
2s LiPo, anything from 120-180mah I'm guessing
2x 10a Botbitz speedos
The cheapy Hobbyking tx and rx set, unless something better arises

Everything sound alright? I make the internals out to be some 80g, is that reasonable?

Thanks fellas,
Ellis
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BeligerAnt
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Re: TeamExpat - antweight build(s)

Post by BeligerAnt »

Hi Ellis, and welcome to the best combat robot weight class :P

Your list of parts sounds OK, but mild steel is rarely used in ants. Stainless is sometimes useful if it's thin enough. If you really want to use metal for structure, aluminium is much lighter (and easier to work!).
HDPE or polycarb 3mm thick is actually stiff enough for most ant applications - remember no part can be more than 140mm long, otherwise it won't fit in the cube :oops:

Do make sure you read the rules carefully: http://robotwars101.org/ants/rules.htm There are a few differences to other weight classes. Look forward to seeing you at an AWS soon. :)
Gary, Team BeligerAnt
Ellis
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Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 9:40 pm

Re: TeamExpat - antweight build(s)

Post by Ellis »

Harry very kindly handed me a little bag containing 4 gearmotors and a sabertooth at the FW champs, completely out of the blue. In light of this, I am currently designing an ant. Neither of the above, which whilst much closer to what I am capable of building, they feel a bit second-best somehow. I don't know why I won't do them since the speedo is perfect for it anyway but... one day! Over this latest trip to the UK to fight with the feather I have been doing some brainstorming for an axe-ant. I know axes don't do much in this weightclass, this will be no exception, but I want to put an idea to the test. As I get things on the go I'll post my progress. I'm still a little baffled at how small these are!

Ellis
razerdave
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Re: TeamExpat - antweight build(s)

Post by razerdave »

If I can do it with my sausage fingers, I am sure you can do it :)
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joey_picus
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Re: TeamExpat - antweight build(s)

Post by joey_picus »

Funnily enough I struggle with how small other weight classes are - ants are exactly the size I thought they'd be but somehow I used to imagine the feathers and heavies being bigger than they are!

Good luck with the build though, hopefully things work out well. Would be nice to see more axes around :)
Joey McConnell-Farber - Team Picus Telerobotics - http://picus.org.uk/ - @joey_picus
"These dreams go on when I close my eyes...every second of the night, I live another life"
Ellis
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Re: TeamExpat - antweight build(s)

Post by Ellis »

Having a few issues with the mechanism. It would work nicely, I'd imagine, in a controlled environment, but as Joey and I were talking he poked a glaring flaw in the concept! Ah well, back to the drawing board, I'm not done yet.
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joey_picus
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Re: TeamExpat - antweight build(s)

Post by joey_picus »

Sorry! :oops:
Joey McConnell-Farber - Team Picus Telerobotics - http://picus.org.uk/ - @joey_picus
"These dreams go on when I close my eyes...every second of the night, I live another life"
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