Team 1202 Build Diary

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Remote-Controlled Dave
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Re: Team 1202 Build Diary

Post by Remote-Controlled Dave »

Yay!
Die Gracefully Robotics
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Spaceman
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Re: Team 1202 Build Diary

Post by Spaceman »

Quick question.

Is there a single channel/ motor speed controller about at all?
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Remote-Controlled Dave
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Re: Team 1202 Build Diary

Post by Remote-Controlled Dave »

They exist is the answer. Scorpion minis for example. But they can be kinda hard to get hold of. You can use modified larger servo boards if you're that way inclined but I always found that route a bit prone to bugs.
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EpicentrE
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Re: Team 1202 Build Diary

Post by EpicentrE »

If you're talking about bi-directional control, the best one for ant use is the Fingertech TinyESC. Technobots sell these in the UK, but unfortunately they're out of stock at the moment.
Scott Fyfe-Jamieson, Captain of Epic Robotics. Champion of AWS38/41/42.
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Spaceman
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Re: Team 1202 Build Diary

Post by Spaceman »

So Robototron MK 3 did ok at Ant Freeze. It won 1 fight out of three. And survived Slice to meet you. Given its Acrylic nature It was a minor miracle.

Lessons learnt:

Smaller battery at lower voltage made the bot too slow.
Need to focus more on good traction.
Practice!
A stronger Chassis is needed
Make the thing able to run upside down or be able to self right

The plan for Robototron MK4 is to make a strong drive module witch serves as a mounting point for various weapon systems. Least that the grand plan.

Now to rebuild prior to AWS...
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Rapidrory
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Re: Team 1202 Build Diary

Post by Rapidrory »

If you want some less acrylicy 'polycarbonate', this is the stuff I use: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEXAN-POLYCAR ... 53e5d55427
Rory Mangles - Team Nuts

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NanoTwo Motor Controllers: https://nutsandbots.co.uk/product/nanotwodualesc
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Spaceman
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Re: Team 1202 Build Diary

Post by Spaceman »

Looking to get back into the game after being along to AWS 54 and missing 55.

I now have access to a decent printer. So my question is is ABS the way to go for printed chassis?

Thanks
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MarkR
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Re: Team 1202 Build Diary

Post by MarkR »

The consensus between both those online, and local 3d printing experts I've spoken to, is that ABS is pretty much obsolete.

There are a lot of newer filaments which have better usage properties than ABS and print more easily too.

For my chassis I used Innofil Pro1 which is a PLA-based filament (with super clever additives which make it better) and it seems very nice.

Also popular are GPET filaments. If you have a heated chamber and a nice hot extruder you might be able to 3d print polycarbonate, which apparently is the "daddy" - the best strength - but more difficult to print.

At Reading Hackspace we also have some PA-CF (similar to Nylon with Carbon fibre) - it is a bit tricky to print but the parts are very tough. The PA-CF seems good for parts that need to be super-solid but it's also more dense than PLA, does not stick very well and doesn't retract well, etc.

With so many other options, I wouldn't bother with ABS. I've never printed it but apparently it shrinks and stinks.
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Shakey
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Re: Team 1202 Build Diary

Post by Shakey »

I completely disagree with Mark.

While there are fancier filaments ABS is still a great material for ants, all my ants sit in ABS chassis and hold up to combat very well. As with most 3d printing you want to avoid the prints being hit directly anyway with something like sheet polycarb armour but ABS can form a nice strong frame to build onto with a bit of flex to absorb hits, it doesn't fair badly if it does get directly hit either. Combined with it's ease of print (Contrary to a lot of talk I rarely have issue with ABS due to a PEI heatbed and using tabs on the base when printing) and low cost it works nicely.

By all means if you have access to better materials then sure go for it, but to say ABS is obsolete in ants is completely false. It is still very widely used and successful as a strong inexpensive material.
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Spaceman
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Re: Team 1202 Build Diary

Post by Spaceman »

I have ordered abs now so shall give it a whirl. That said the pla based one sounds tempting.

A group of us at work have co bought a pursa i3, so expecting greatish things.
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