Sheet Steel Chassis Fabrication

[Inky]

I think this is the right section.

Hey, does anyone here work for/know a good company that works with sheet steel fabrication?
It is for my entry into the Rampaging Chariots competition in June, and the current company I am using isn't the most informative or helpful.
I have both technical production drawings and 3D CAD models of all the chassis components, which I can convert into whatever file type you require.
In return for fabricating the chassis I will happily advertise your/the company on my robot, where at the competition it will be seen by hundreds of both spectators and other roboteer teams.

I am still waiting on a reply from my current company, but it can't hurt to have a backup company.

Thanks.

[typhoon_driver]

You might have more luck approaching companies directly.

[maddox10]

What kind and thickness of sheet steel are you looking for?

You're looking for sponsoring. That was a stonecold female dog when Robot Wars was on TV. It didn't improve in the last decade.

[Inky]

It's not really sponsoring, it's a way of saying thanks, by advertising for them.

[typhoon_driver]

Providing something for advertising is the very definition of sponsorship.

Cameron, I suspect that with it being a rampaging chariot the manufacture is actually very simple. Is this something you don't have the facilities to do? What is wrong with the standard MDF chassis?

[Inky]

The teacher at the school that is doing it said at the beginning that he didn't want to use MDF because it would get destroyed, and has had it stuck in his head that he wants a sheet steel chassis, mainly due to the fact that he overestimates the destructive power of MDF at speed. So that's the only thing he's done and he's done a bad job, just getting passed around from company to company.
That's why I can't use the MDF.

The thickness is 3mm sheet.

[Eventorizon]

If he is set on steel, have it waterjet or plasma cut and then weld it together but there is no reason not to use Nylon 6 or HDPE or for that matter laser cut Birch Plywood. A steel chassis in that type of event is A) overkill and B) a waste of money.

[typhoon_driver]

Tell your teacher he is an idiot. I helped in the beginning to develop those kits and some of them have been running for almost a decade with that design. Please quote me on that and I would be only too happy to talk to him via email or the phone about it.

The whole idea of the kit is that school children can put it together with basic tools without having to resort to industry.

[Max]

If you want to use steel why don't you just bolt the panels together with pieces of steel/aluminium angle? It can be cut with a hacksaw and a lot of patience or a jigsaw fairly easily. Personally I would just use hdpe and then maybe put some pieces and steel angle over the corners to protect them.
This is meant to be an educational project, you don't learn that much from getting someone else to make it!

[maddox10]

It's not really sponsoring, it's a way of saying thanks, by advertising for them.

Then the questions I asked still ain't answered. Kind of steel sheet and thickness?

[RogueTwoRobots]

Sounds like the teacher needs to be reminded that this is a project for the students rather than for him. I think you guys should just go for MDF and if he wants to stick with the steel chassis option, then he can do all the legwork in organising it.

[Inky]

Then the questions I asked still ain't answered. Kind of steel sheet and thickness?

Don't know what type of sheet steel. 3mm thickness.

[maddox10]

If it's normal steel and no fancy bending, PM me.

[Inky]

Thanks a lot for the offer. I will wait to see if the current company can do it first, however.

[typhoon_driver]

Don't bother with steel. You will cause yourself more headaches than it's worth.