How Could I Improve...

[steven_mcg]

How Could I Improve...

Youre Jamie and youll like it! :wink:

I do have an idea to fit some Mute-style barbs on Clawdius wedge to help trap opponents, but any ideas on powering up the crusher or improving the agility would be appreciated.

As for MSSD, wheesht!

[majinb]

How Could I Improve...

thats no way to honour an MN2 semi-finalist

[joey_picus]

How Could I Improve...

So Im stuck on a forum where robots come in to my life for no apparent reason, and people have decided to call me Jamie?!

...cooool.

As for actual advice, I doubt powering up the crusher would actually have much effect in battles, and try doing what Razer did for agility - go for 4 wheels and put rollers in the rear ones so the robot pivots more around the front.
And for your new robot, go for something with tracks. Me likes tracks.

[majinb]

How Could I Improve...

Traction Man, The Greatest Hero of Them All!

[joey_picus]

How Could I Improve...



On a more serious note, Im having trouble with one of my newer designs:

WEIGHT: 100kgs
DIMENSIONS: 140 x 140 x 15 cm
SHAPE: A low dome type shape
DRIVE: 2 S28-400 Magmotors driving 2 wheels, with a fairly narrow wheelbase to increase rotation speed, running at 24v from 4 NiCd packs, with ball castors around the edge to
stabilise it.
SPEED: About 12mph average when driving normally, can get up to 40mph when spinning
GROUND CLEARANCE: 5mm all around, except at the front where the forks make it 0. 1mm in places because of the blades.
ARMOUR: 3mm aluminium on top of 7mm UHMW on the top of the robot, supported by a 4mm Hardox frame underneath with holes drilled to reduce weight. 3mm aluminium baseplate.
WEAPONS: Complicated this...it has an electric lifting arm running off a 1 tonne linear actuator, pivoting from the rear of the robot with two front forks to get underneath opponents. The arm can lift 250kgs easily and extends fully (almost vertical) in about 1.5 seconds. Also, the robot is a full body spinner with an outer 3cm Hardox ring with two blades/teeth, one on each side, made of hardened tool steel set close to the floor (1-2mm) and capable of delivering (energy)
SRIMECH: The lifter
NOTES: Internal components shockproofed to protect it from its own and other peoples spinner hits.

The main problem is the energy for the FBS - I dont quite know how to look a it, considering the shape and the fact I know very little about spinners and the formulas required. The Team Cosmos calculator doesnt seem to work for me, so could someone more experienced with spinning things help me out, and also help me with the general design?

[tacoman]

How Could I Improve...

Can someone take a look at this, please?


Name: Lethal Injection
Shape: Stinger, but with static prongs between the wheels.
Colour: Unpainted.
Weight: 100kgs
Dimensions: L:55cm W:60cm H:45cm
Speed: 18mph
Turning Circle: 0cm
Armour: 9mm titanium on the wheels, 5mm Hardox for the prongs and disc.
Ground Clearance: Ermm.. Being a stinger style axlebot, it doesnt
really have one. The prongs are 0mm however.
Movement: 2 stinger style wheels with Vulkanon rubber tyres, with 2 LEM130s and 4 NiCad battlepacks at 24volts.
Weapons: Spinning disc positioned in between the prongs. The idea is that the opponent will be wedged on the prongs then caught by the disc. The disc is powered by a LEM130 at 2000rpm and deals about 60kj.
Scrimech: Invertible

[joey_picus]

How Could I Improve...

The dimensions look a bit off, otherwise its quite good, looks like it could do well.

[andrewj]

How Could I Improve...

Lots to catch up on€¦

DVD - Batteries. How are you going to change the direction the drum motor spins in? Other than this, that€™s pretty good. Still a few things to fix but its all little things like turning circles.

Ah, Chris. I€™ve been wanting to analyse your stats for quite a while. You have some good designs, which are slowly reaching their potential in tournaments, but hopefully I can suggest a few things to improve them.

Orka Mk 4 - 2mm ground clearance is not enough, and being as you are multi-weaponed you probably won€™t be able to have skirts. I€™d go for 8mm at least. Its not necessary, but what are your wheels and tyres made of? Go for S28-400 Magmotors for drive, at 24v. How thick is the Titanium on the scoop? Similarly, what is the claw made of and powered by? Could you give more details on the pneumatics (or give us a little more on what you want it to do, so we can arrange that)? What is the self-righting fin powered by? I have many suggestions on what to do with this robot, so say if you want to know what I would do.

Die-Ceratops Re-Invertus - Again, I would personally up the ground clearance to about 10mm. All it takes is a piece of armour 3mm thick to come off and you€™ll be high and dry. Go for S28-400 Magmotors at 24v for drive again. What powers your flipper as well? I€™m a fan of this vapourbot.

Cyclone Force 2.5 - Maybe a little fast for my liking. Up the ground clearance to 10mm all round, your skirts can protect this. For drive, go for LEM130€™s at 36v, which is what Storm II uses. What powers all of your interchangeable weapons? Otherwise that€™s fine.

Leprosy Infection - Once more, up that ground clearance to at least 6mm. I think this has already been covered, but could you explain more about the wheel flaps? Once again, go for S28-400 Magmotors for drive. What powers your drum?

Mega Masher 2 - As usual, raise the ground clearance. Go for 3.25mm Hardox for the armour. Power, I would suggest going for the S28-400€™s like with the others, but for the record Tornado uses Bosch 750€™s at 36v. What powers your self righting bar and flywheel?

Y4 - You guessed it, raise the clearance. Again, go for the S28-400€™s for drive. You could also thicken up the armour a couple of mm. What powers the flipper?

Axe-O-Lotl - Yeah, raise the ground clearance€¦ As with Mega Masher 2, change the Steel to 3.25mm Hardox. As with Cyclone Force 2.5, go for LEM130€™s at 36v for drive. What powers the axe?

Obliteration - I would double the speed at least. Double the ground clearance too, actually. For drive, yep, S28-400 Mags. As I think others have said, rather than an FBS this would be termed a ring spinner. On the topic of doubling, double the spinning speed and say what powers the ring.

Crash Bandi-bot 3 - You provided a rough shape and dimensions here, good. I€™ll get back to that later. Go 6mm+ at the sides clearance. I€™m sure you can guess what I suggest for drive by now. What powers both the spike and flipper? Nice idea, by the way.

Spring-Bok! - Higher clearance. You know the drill for drive. Needs some more weapon details.

In general, you just need to be more specific. All robots probably require dimensions. Stating what sort of robot your vapourbots are like is a nice touch, but you would probably be better off explaining it instead. Some people may not know what the real robots look like. I think basically every single one of your vapours needs higher clearance. I wouldn€™t go lower than 6mm, and personally I usually go for 10mm. Explaining what your wheels are made of (especially the tyre/tread) may be useful. Your armour is okay, but I find Hardox more durable than Titanium to use, despite the weight disadvantage. You should be fine though unless you face one of the big spinners, but they generally tear anything up anyway. You probably also need to provide battery details, although this is one of my many weak points. You also haven€™t mentioned what type of motor is being used - I have generally suggested S28-400€™s. As mentioned earlier in this thread, I find them to be the best all round motor for use. You definitely need to say what powers your weaponry. All this can easily be improved though. Good job!

If you want the short version - read what €œJamie€ put. :P For overall improvements to the vapourbots, rather than to the stats, see what Steve put. Especially the paragraph on motor and weapon specifics.

Steve: I shall look forward to looking at your bots. Post your stats up/give a link, please - I€™m too lazy to go and find them.

OAMSNIHTWOOMND - Nice name! I would scrap the castors and go for 4WD. Double the ground clearance. Pretty crappy top armour, but whatever. :P 30mm Hardox ring? Oh dear, did Shovearound 2 open up the superheavyweight contest again? I€™d say 10mm Hardox maximum, and maybe less being as you have a large diameter. I€™m guessing this is Revenge of Trouble and Strife style, which is cool.

Lethal Injection - Looks like someone has beaten me to an Infernal Contraption clone. I€™m fine with those stats, good.

And there is my long, boring, pointless advice. Enjoy!

[joey_picus]

How Could I Improve...

Thats not the name :P and I actually tried to go for the maximum possible thickness and tried putting that into the materials calculator, but looking back on it 30mm is overkill, youre right...and its not ROTAS style, I was thinking more Mouser-Mecha Catbot with a weapon that worked and the ability to be a full body (not rim or shell) spinner if needs be.

[tacoman]

How Could I Improve...

It should be. In fact. from now on, thats its name.

No objections.

[joey_picus]

How Could I Improve...

...why didnt I think of that before! Thanks for that, Danny..

No Objections
WEIGHT: 100kgs
DIMENSIONS: 140 x 140 x 15 cm
SHAPE: A low dome type shape
COLOUR: Yellow, with a yellow and black striped lifter with red forks, and stylised black arrowheads on each side. The spinner rim is metal-coloured.
DRIVE: 2 S28-400 Magmotors driving 2 wheels, with a fairly narrow wheelbase to increase rotation speed, running at 24v from 4 NiCd packs.
SPEED: About 12mph average when driving normally, can get up to 40mph when spinning
GROUND CLEARANCE: 7mm all around, except at the front where the forks make it 0. 1mm in places because of the blades.
ARMOUR: 3mm titanium/vanadium alloy on top of 5mm UHMW on the top of the robot, supported by a 4mm Hardox frame underneath with holes drilled to reduce weight. 3mm aluminium baseplate.
WEAPONS: Complicated this...it has an electric lifting arm running off a 1 tonne linear actuator, pivoting from the rear of the robot with two front forks to get underneath opponents. The arm can lift 250kgs easily and extends fully (almost vertical) in about 1.5 seconds. Also, the robot has the capability to be a full body spinner with an outer 1.2cm Hardox ring with two blades/teeth, one on each side, made of hardened tool steel set close to the floor (1-2mm) and capable of delivering (energy)
SRIMECH: The lifter
NOTES: Internal components shockproofed to protect it from its own and other peoples spinner hits.
STRENGTHS: Versatile, can cause some damage, manoeuvrable
WEAKNESSES: Large area to attack, top armour not as strong as it could be, cannot translate while spinning

(Message edited by joeychevron on March 10, 200

[RogueTwoRobots]

How Could I Improve...

Joey, just out of interest, why are you getting called Jamie now?

Except for the fact its a good name

[joey_picus]

How Could I Improve...

Dunno.

[steven_mcg]

How Could I Improve...

Heres me stats, AJ.

1) Wedge Devolution
SHAPE- low wedge with sloped rear and Biohazard-style side and rear skirts
COLOUR- sleek and shiny silver
WEIGHT- about 100kg
DIMENSIONS- 90cm X 78cm X 40cm
SPEED- 16mph
TURNING CIRCLE- 0
GROUND CLEARANCE- 0mm at the front, 7mm for the rest of the robot (without skirts), 0mm at all sides (with skirts)
ARMOUR- 4mm Hardox
WHEELS- inside robot, 4-wheel drive
POWER- 12 x 12v 3amp NiCad packs, giving 36v @ 12amp; 2 x LEM-COs at 36v for drive
WEAPONS- As usual, the main weapon is a rear-hinged flipper. This is very similar to Chaos 2, except the blade at the bottom is bent ala Bigger Brother, allowing the flipper to have greater effect against bots with skirts or low centres of gravity. The flipper itself is powered by 2 X 80mm high pressure pneumatic rams, each running at 250psi. According to Dannys flipper calculator (making the flipper 6kg and the amout of gas aboard 2kg), Mr Devo should use about 34 flips per fight and throw approximately 816kg in total.
Also, the front blade can be exchanged for a Nose-style plate, approximately 15cm in length. This is used primarily for full-body spinners, but hardly ever used.
SRIMECH- The flipper can right the machine easily and the rear wedge should hopefully prevent a Chaos-style self-flip. Also, Wedge Devo is equipped with a grey semi-sphere on either side of robot to prevent it getting stuck on its side
NOTES- flashing red light on top of robot, flies Scotland flag
STRENGTHS- powerful flipper, fast, manoeuvrable, difficult to get underneath, tough armour, good traction
WEAKNESSES- could prove a bit tricky to control, limited CO2 (like all other flippers)

2) Killotine: EVO
SHAPE- compact box shape with a front Storm 2-style wedge and spatula for getting under other bots
COLOUR- red
WEIGHT- about 100kg
DIMENSIONS- 100cm X 70cm X 35cm
SPEED- about 16mph
TURNING CIRCLE- 0m
GROUND CLEARANCE- virtually 0mm at the front, 10mm at sides and back without skirts, 0mm at sides and back with skirts
ARMOUR- 15mm polycarbonate top and bottom, 3.25mm Hardox armour at sides, front and back
WHEELS- inside robot, 4WD
POWER- 2 X LEM-130s
WEAPONS- The main weapon is the large 180 degree pneumatic axe, very similar to that of Killerhurtz. It operates at 160psi with a rack-and-pinion system like Terrorhurtz. The axe is composed of 3.5mm Hardox, but if anything should happen to it, the robot can use its great pushing power to resort to a Tornado-style tactic - ram to death!
SRIMECH- The axe. Even if it€™s already been fired while flipped, the axe can right itself ala Killerhurtz. The machine also has a rounded back and a red semi-sphere on either side of robot to stop it landing on its side.
NOTES- flies the Scotland flag
STRENGTHS- Fast, dangerous weapon, good amount of traction, difficult to get under, quick srimech, nice and fast
WEAKNESSES- so-so turning

3) Metal Sonic Spin Dash
SHAPE- low skirted box, with fixed front wedge & sloped sides
COLOUR- blue bodywork, with red-and-white striped skirting
WEIGHT- about 100kg
DIMENSIONS- 102cm X 75cm X 20cm
SPEED- 16mph
TURNING CIRCLE- 0m
GROUND CLEARANCE- virtually 0mm at front with spatula, 0mm elsewhere with skirts, 12mm elsewhere without skirts
ARMOUR- 3.75mm Hardox
WHEELS- inside robot, 6WD
POWER- 2 x LEM-130 MagMotors. These will run at 36v and produce approximately 18hp.
WEAPONS- The main weapon here is really the excellent traction, but like all its other incarnations, Spin Dash still maintains its Pussycat-style vertical saw blade, running at 3000rpm. This time, however, the four-clawed spinner sticks halfway out of the front wedge, so that when the wedge/spatula combo bashes underneath an opponent, both the wheels and the underbelly are at the mercy of the saw.
Also features several Mute-style barbs on top to hook onto other robots and let me drag them around the ring
SRIMECH- a rear-hinged arm on top with a basic low-pressure CO2 set-up. Can be used to about 30-40 times and is ONLY used for self-righting in order not to waste the gas supply
NOTES- flies the Scotland flag (though, forgot to add to pic. Shockaroonie!), has F*** Shadow! written on the underbelly in red
STRENGTHS- excellent traction, fast, manoueverable, tough armour, well-skirted, great at getting under everyone else
WEAKNESSES- so-so turning ability, teething troubles?
PICCY HERE- http://img77.imageshack.us/img77/3603/fifthspindashde6.pnghttp://img77.imageshack.us/img77/360...pindashde6.png

4) Whirligig 4.0
SHAPE- flat disc
COLOUR- deep yellow with Mauler-style scary face on top
WEIGHT- about 100kg (see bottom)
DIMENSIONS- 101.6cm diameter X 12.7cm
SPEED- 15mph
TURNING CIRCLE- 0
GROUND CLEARANCE- 4mm
ARMOUR- 1.905 cm thick Grade 5 titanium
FEET- inside robot, uses 4 DrillZilla-style shuffling plates. These help prevent the bot being flung halfway across the ring on contact with another bot, ala Typhoon
POWER- 2 X S28-400s running on 36v. Uses 120 X NiCad cells at 36v, producing 12amps at 36v overall for drive and weapon power
WEAPONS- the main weapon on Whirly 4.0 is a much improved spinning shell. Weighing in at 33.72kg overall, its heavier than before and now boasts 9 Pussycat-style blades - 3 on the top, 3 in the middle and 3 on the bottom, so it can get some scars in nearly all opponents. The shell is now powered by 2 X LEM-130s running at 36v (these lie on their side, so they will fit comfortabely inside Whirly). These produce 2000rpm...and 183 kilojoules. This should be enough to completely obliterate another machine. Or worse.
As well as this, the power in the shuffling feet mean that Whirly can act as a pretty powerful pusher if the shell fails to work
SRIMECH- the robot is invertible and the blades prevent Whirly landing on his side
NOTES- Mauler-style scary face on top and bottom which show direction of robot, flies Scotland flag, my first properly calculated machine
STRENGTHS- fast, manoeuvrable, very deadly weaponry, tough armour, scary face shows its direction, very good traction, cant be flung away on impact as easily as Typhoon
WEAKNESSES- so-so manoeuvrability, feet may prove vulnerable to crushers and axes

5) Clawdius Decimus Murderous
SHAPE- wedge with small box section and high rear wedge
COLOUR- deep green with shield emblazoned on the wedge
WEIGHT- about 100kg
DIMENSIONS- 95cm X 73cm X 70cm (including claw - 35cm without)
SPEED- 13mph
TURNING CIRCLE- 0m
GROUND CLEARANCE- virtually 0mm at the front, 0mm at sides and rear thanks to skirts (arranged in a Biohazard fashion, corner-to-corner), 10mm without
ARMOUR- 5mm Hardox
WHEELS- inside robot, 4-wheel drive
POWER- 2 X S28-300 MagMotors (thanks to Scott here)
WEAPONS- The main weapon is the Razer-style crushing claw, operating at 3000psi (5000 if permitted in certain tournaments), with a nice little diamond-coated tip. Also at the front is a Firestorm-style blade and 2 small €œspears€ to aid in getting under the opposition. Combined with the crusher and the reasonably powerful 4WD, CDM can become an effective pusher/clamper
SRIMECH- Like before, CDM uses a rear-hinged pneumatic arm on either side to self-right. The high-wedged rear also prevents the robot getting perched there
NOTES- flies the Scotland flag, concept of name came from €œGladiator€ (€œMy name is Maximus Decimus Meridius - father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife...but that€™s when I phoned Claims Direct!€)
STRENGTHS- Quite nippy, good traction, powerful weapon, difficult to get underneath, fast srimech
WEAKNESSES- so-so manoeuvrability, slow weapon

6) Turbo Tails
SHAPE- short box with front wedge, sloped sides & rounded rear
COLOUR- yellow with the foxs face looking particularly evil on the front slope
WEIGHT- approx 100kg
DIMENSIONS- 90cm X 75cm X 25cm
SPEED- 16mph
TURNING CIRCLE- 0m
GROUND CLEARANCE- approx 0mm at front (titanium blade), 8mm everywhere else
ARMOUR- 3.5mm monocoque Hardox, with 2mm yellow fur over that.
MOVEMENT- 4 inner wheels
POWER- 2 x C40-500 MagMotors. These will run at 36v and produce approximately 12hp.
WEAPONS- Tails chief weapon is the horizontal spinning blade. Now mounted on top, its a bit heavier than before and has Fluffy-style heads instead of the old hammers. Its powered by 2 x LEM-130s running at 36v and has top speeds of around 2500rpm, so its definately just as deadly as before - if not, more so!
SRIMECH- A front forward-hinged arm, powered by a single, low-pressure CO2 ram. Capable of operating just over 30 times per fight. Not used for the offensive unless desperate. Sloped sides and rounded rear also prevent it getting beached.
NOTES- flies the Scotland flag
STRENGTHS- orrible weapon, touger armour, fast, fairly compact, greater pushing power
WEAKNESSES- not quite as manouverable as before, flammability, wholl take it seriously?
PICCY HERE- http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/8014/turbotailsnu8.pnghttp://img63.imageshack.us/img63/8014/turbotailsnu8.png (Will need editing now, methinks :wink

Please be gentle.

[leorcc]

How Could I Improve...

With turbo tails, Instead of low pressure I would use full pressure for the ram. Why? Because it saves weight and space. With low pressure you need to have a gasbottle, regulator, pressure relief valve high and low pressure, buffertank, 2/2 valve and cilinder. With full pressure you dont need a regulator, only 1 pressure relief valve, and a lot simpeler plumbing than you would with low pressure so saving space. you can use a smaller ram for the same power, which helps too.


(Message edited by leo-rcc on March 11, 200