Build Your Own Combat Robot

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HEN we human beings experience an injury or sickness, it’s frequently
our skin and bones that really keep us together. Carefully applied skin
grafts after a serious burn or injury can mean the difference between life and
death. Likewise, if you’ve watched a robot combat match, you know that a robot
is doomed if its skin is ripped off by an opponent. The same follows for the failure
of fasteners for a wheel assembly, a weapon, or a strategic internal system. If any
of these are torn off in the arena, that robot is most likely going to lose the match.
The information in this chapter will help you make your own decisions about
what materials and construction techniques you will use after thoughtful consideration
of the many types of elements and fasteners available. Each material has a
best application. Before you begin building, you should look up specifications in
suppliers’ catalogs and use logical design practices in the layout and construction
of your combat robot. Use common sense. Talk with friends who have done mechanical
design. Look at successful designs and determine just what made the design
work so well, or what caused others to fail. Don’t be afraid to ask others for advice.
Get on the Internet and converse with those who have built a robot similar to what
you have in mind.
Metals and Materials
When you think of durability, you probably think of metals first. However, some
of the newer plastics offer many advantages over metals when it comes to building
robots for competition.
High-Strength Plastics
With virtually unmatched impact resistance, outstanding dimensional stability,
and crystal clarity, Lexan polycarbonate resin continues to be one of the popular
types of materials for use in combat robots. The product is a unique thermoplastic
that combines high levels of mechanical, optical, electrical, and thermal properties.
GE Structured Products is one of the leading suppliers of Lexan sheet material.