Helpful Tips
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Tips for plastic antweight
- Design Tips
- Flipped Over?
- Electronics
- 3D Printing
- Prototyping
Design Tips
Design is the most important aspect of combat robotics
- Pick a weapon design: drum spinner, horizontal spinner, flipper, wedge, lifter, vertical spinner, etc.
- Pick a drivetrain: 2WD, 4WD, wheels, tracks, etc. (2WD is simplest, and often the best)
- How will your bot compete against other bot types? Will you have any 'ground game'? (forks / wedges)
- You want to utilize your 1lb weight in the most compact form possible. Less surface area means you can use thicker armor! The most competitive Plastic Ants have a 5x5" footprint. Try shooting for 6x6"
Flipped Over?
If you get flipped over in a match, you will be counted out if you cannot move. Make sure you plan how to operate when upside down! There are many solutions, get creative!
- Most bots have wheels that are large enough to touch the ground when flipped. This is most used & most effective
- 'Bonk' method: Some bots rely on their spinning weapon to bonk the floor, sending them flying again and again until they land upright. (These break often)
- Some bots use a self-righting arm. These are fun to watch, but can be tough to implement. Make sure to use the MG92B servo
Electronics
Your electronics will consist of: controller, receiver, battery, power switch, drive motors, drive esc, weapon motor, weapon esc. We will go over these at Build Night #3
- Ordering from AliExpress is SUPER cheap! (N20 motor on Amazon: $8. AliExpress: $1.68). Make sure to put your AliExpress orders in early, since they take 2-3 weeks to ship!
- Plan where your larger components will go when designing (battery, receiver, drive esc)
- Smaller components give you a compact design, but are often more expensive
- You need a power switch to pass safety! Don't forget
3D Printing
How to make your robot strong
- Print Orientation: often overlooked, this is the most important aspect when you want strength. (see image)
- Material: PLA tends to be fragile. We recommend ABS, eSun PLA+, and Duramic PLA+. Different materials have varying impact strengths, failure types, and densities.
- If printing at a BYU shop, check if they will print your desired filament
- To connect parts together, one of the best options is M3 screws + heated inserts. Heated inserts are actually pretty easy to get a hang of! Go to AliExpress to get these for cheap
Prototyping
Make sure to make a prototype! All engineers know that the first attempt never works as intended.
- Your first prototype can even be a cardboard square that drives
- You won't know if your electronics fit until you build it!
- Gen 2 & Gen 3 bots compete MUCH better than Gen 1
- Don't hit something for the first time at the tournament! Practice hitting plastic parts in the arena at build night
Recommended Timeline
(optional)
| Week # | Goal |
| 1 | Pick weapon / drivetrain design. (ie Drum spinner, 2WD) |
| 2 | Start drawing bot; get idea of scale. Draw top, front, & side views |
| 3 | Start picking electronics: Controller, battery, drive system |
| 4 | Finish drawing; start 3D modeling. Place AliExpress orders |
| 5-6 | Work on model, order parts, solder electronics |
| 7-8 | 3D print 1st prototype. Weapon optional. Get it driving |
| 9-10 | Finalize model. Print final bot. Pass safety. Practice driving |