A guide on how to build a combat robot

[Dan-27]

Back in June I started a thread looking for input on a guide I was writing in conjunction with VEX Robotics. The guide is primarily aimed at teachers looking to start a combat robotics club in school, but the majority of the advice would be beneficial to most first time builders. Unfortunately I couldn't upload the PDF directly to this post, but you should be able to access it with the link below.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QNy...ew?usp=sharing

For most people who have built a robot or two the guide will not contain much new information, but please feel free to download a copy to pass on to the new builders out there.

Eventually it will be freely available through the VEX Robotics site and a few other sites, but wanted to put a copy on this forum as it's here I learnt the ropes of robot building. So thanks for all the advice over the years and particularly for the input that shaped this guide.

[daveimi]

I had a read through and this is very good.

[mullinsj08]

Thank you so much for this guide! It is exactly what I need to help me get started.

[teamstorm]

A great read - a couple of (hopefully) constructive comments.

This is clearly a UK aimed guide, perhaps better to include UK examples rather than almost entirely Battlebots (aka US) examples of robots. You want to enthuse people, and familiarity with UK teams for examples would make more sense

The BEC advice appears to contradict itself, starting by suggesting people don't use the BEC in an ESC, and run a dedicated one - but your wiring diagram then removes this and uses the ESC. FWIW to keep thing simple, using an ESC BEC is probably best. Also perhaps worth noting that you might not want the BEC active in both ESC's ?

On page 12 the charging guidelines also appear to contradict, first suggesting that most people will ask you to remove batteries for charging, later this changes to 'its essential you charge in a fire proof bag'. Perhaps remove the comment about some people asking you to remove them - and just stick with the best practice of taking them out, visually inspecting them and charging them in a LiPo sack.

Up until page 13, the guide has appeared to work well across weight classes, but on page 13 it suddenly heads towards a featherweight guide as the motors section only covers drill motors, RangleBox and VEX. Perhaps it's worth making clear what motor would work in which class of robot, and also something covering heavier weight class requirements/suggestions ? Or if the guide is aimed largely at the Featherweight builder (which continuing to read it would appear it is), perhaps consider making that clear from the start.

A really good document though, a great guide for someone considering starting and once published something that we'd love to share with the schools that we work with as a team !

Ed