Build Your Own Combat Robot

34 Build Your Own Combat Robot
Testing, Testing, Testing
One of the main reasons new bots fail in their first contest is lack of testing. Often,
bot builders spend all their time building the bot and don’t allow enough time for
proper testing. Some bots are being completed the night before the contest, and
the builders simply hope it will work during the actual event. You should allow at
least a month for testing your bot. You should thoroughly test the bot in combat
conditions, as realistically as possible. But beating up a trash can or a wooden box
doesn’t test the bot. Garbage cans don’t fight back. You should kick your bot, hit
it with hammers, flip it upside down, and stall it up against a solid wall. Expect to
see things break—you would rather have something break during the testing
phase than at a competition.
Also, practice driving as much as possible. It is better to practice against another
combat robot. At the very least, get a cheap R/C car from a local toy store
and practice having your bot catch the R/C car. You need to know how to rapidly
maneuver your bot. Small R/C cars are fast and nimble. If you can consistently
catch an R/C car that is trying to avoid being caught, you are gaining good driving
skills. Remember, strategy and aggression points are usually awarded to the better
driver. This is why veteran bots routinely do better than rookie bots. They are
thoroughly tested, and the drivers are excellent, experienced drivers.
Top Ten Reasons Why a Robot Fails
When designing your bot, think about what can go wrong during a contest, and
then design your creation so these things can’t go wrong. Many bots lose matches
not because they’re beaten by opponents, but because something broke. Below is a
list of the 10 most common failures seen in combat robotics, all of which should be
considered in your design process:
1. Wires coming loose, especially battery and radio control connections
2. Improper charging or using insufficient-capacity batteries
3. Speed controllers too small to handle the motor current requirements
4. Motors, transmission, and batteries poorly mounted
5. Belts and chains falling off
6. Motors overheating
7. Radio control interference
8. Shearing and breaking fasteners
9. Using homemade motor speed controllers
10. Wheels becoming damaged by weapon or hazards, or jammed because of
the body getting bent into them