Designing a Heavyweight

[supernova]

Hi Folks,

Ive been recently looking into building a heavyweight robot, but cant decide on the design. Like the idea of a spinner or a 4 bar lifter. But its not often you can use a spinner in the UK, and a 4 bar lifter though cool, by design has to be quite long.

What types of robot do you enjoy watching at live events? The fights I have seen on you tube are all of Co2 flippers, I want to make something different that can still be competitive.

Any ideas?

[harry hills]

Personally I'd love to see a grab and lift style of robot in the UK. If done properly it could be competitive as well as entertaining.

[HereticBlue]

Personally I'd love to see a grab and lift style of robot in the UK. If done properly it could be competitive as well as entertaining.

I was thinking the same thing Haz. I don't think they'd be as successful here tbh, in a 1v1 situation it's fine but not in a melee. Same with the dustpan concept, easy to do but no-one here does it.

[craig_colliass]

Hi
I would think something like Big nipper would be the most competitive type outside flippers, as it has won the UK HW championships twice. the only none flipper in the last 10 years to do this I think.
The down side it is very complex and needs continual maintenance to keep it reliable. If you can make the show at Guildford have a look round at what's there, and a chat.
Craig
Team Saint

[Eventorizon]

I was thinking the same thing Haz. I don't think they'd be as successful here tbh, in a 1v1 situation it's fine but not in a melee. Same with the dustpan concept, easy to do but no-one here does it.

In a competition you only really get 1 on 1 so there is no point in designing a machine to deal with melee combat when its very rare in HW combat, and in a Melee things are so chaotic you just have to roll with the punched... or the flips, you just have to deal with things as they happen.

Something like SOB from the US or Complete control would be amazing, and I am sure you could make a compact 4 Bar with a bit of thought. I had wondered about mounting any gas and buffer tanks across the width of the bot rather than its length so you get a really wide lifter that can to is short, sharp bursts.

[supernova]

Yup, I'll be around at the Guildford event in the afternoon to have a look. A hydraulic grab and lift robot would be cool. There was a robot called draven ages ago that did that, can't find any info on the net though. Would need to make it as spinner proof as possible in case RW comes back in the UK

[ady]

My old grab and lift mantis.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=I1jGE4YcYaY

[maddox10]

Mantis still excists. Sans drives and pump tough. Needs an extensive rebuild to become competitive in the current enviroment.
But if we can replace the burned out pump and check valve setup, the weapon in itself is back in action.

[supernova]

So how does the mantis crusher/lifter work? Is there a build diary anywhere? I don't know how a hydraulic system would work, i assume you would need a motor powered pump, ram, valves but anything else? Also where would you get a suitable pump?

Cheers

[maddox10]

Mantis just needs new hoses and the old pump setup for the weapon to work.
Unfortunatly that original died in a demo with Tough As Nails.
The replacement setup was a failure as the O2 event demonstrated.

Pumps, any decent hydraulics shop has sets that are used for tailgates and such.
Seperate pumps can be coupled to any motor with a suitable rpm range.

Andy, maybe you can source an original setup for Mantis. At least we can reactivate the weapon.

[Max]

I remember once seeing a video or picture of a lifter grabber that used a single linear actuator so that it first grabbed with a claw then started to lift as it reached the end of its travel, I think it was feather but might not have been, have just spent ages trying to find the video again but can't find it! Does anyone know which robot I'm talking about ???

[maddox10]

2 machines spring to mind. Storm and Antrax/Draven

But a feather linac lifter/grabber, no idea.

[Anttazz]

Was it not a MW that Tom made. Voodoo maybe?

[Max]

Ah found it:
http://youtu.be/vX3uFDzmlHI
It was Marco's creation from back in 2009! Though I'm not sure if anything ever came of the idea. (Build diary here: http://www.fightingrobots.co.uk/thre...w-heavy/page2?)
Could be an idea to look into using a single hydraulic ram to power a combined lifter grabber, I beleive Kenny is selling some hydraulic pumps in the for sale section though they be slightly underpowered for a heavy but I'm not sure

[RogueTwoRobots]

Voodoo had that setup, using an electric car jack. Not sure if it's the one you were thinking of but same principle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05GuEz6FFgo

There's also Uberclocker in the US, and the original Storm, although that used two rams.

Also where would you get a suitable pump?

Andrew Kenworthy (Kenny) was selling some hydraulic pump/motor units a few months ago. 500W ones, good for 140bar, although you presumably couple a more powerful motor to it. The Big Nipper boys strapped a brushless motor on theirs for their featherweight crusher this year. Not sure if he's got any left, but fourth post down here: http://www.fightingrobots.co.uk/thre...parts-for-sale

EDIT: Been beaten to it on both counts!