Non-metal armour

malivoirec · Post by **malivoirec** » Sat Jun 09, 2007 8:47 am

As it says in the rules that you cannot have a one bit shell using metal, I was thinking of using vacuum formed ABS or high density polystyrine for E.B.O.G. In the mean time I was thinking of using acrylic for RRC due to lack of time. I wonder if any of these three materials are OK for spinner combat or is there something I am missing, as I do not want to have my armour to shatter apart on the first impact (

). Titanium and kevlar is used for a reason and I don't think it is builder's overkill.

Post by **BeligerAnt** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 8:32 pm

Acrylic will alomst certainly shatter on impact with a spinner.

If you want to test a material for spinner impact, get hold of a sample and hit it with a hammer!

No, seriously, that's the kind of impact you need to withstand these days.

For vacuum-forming, polycarbonate would be the best material. The aptly-named Vacuum used it a couple of years ago.
The most important consideration is the shape. A good shape which will deflect the impact will stand much more chance of survival than a "bad" shape with edges which take the full force of a direct hit.

leo-rcc · Post by **leo-rcc** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 6:29 am

It is a known fact in the armour business: sloaped armour can withstand a lot more punishment than straight vertical armour. If you place youre armour at an angle, the more the better, it will withstand way more than a regular upright armour would. The only disadvantage to that is that you loose space in a robot.

A 2mm armour plate on a 45 degree angle will work as a 4 mm upright armour plate. The russians started with sloaped armour on their T34 tanks in the 2nd world war, by the end of that same war pretty much every country did it.

Simon Windisch · Post by **Simon Windisch** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 11:53 am

Absolutely, the dynamite has a sloped front. I had to switch to Scorpion controllers to save space.

My inspiration was the Sherman tank, whose turret has no flat planes.

Simon

malivoirec · Post by **malivoirec** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 10:59 am

however, as my ant has a very low ground clearance, (hard for a spinner to catch the edges underneith as it is a one mould shell) the only thing that spinners like variant and anticyclone can only catch are the corners. because of the fact that there is not a join or edge there, 1.5 mm thick acrylic would scratch, slice maybe but it shouldnt shatter, should it?

Post by **BeligerAnt** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 8:13 pm

3mm Acrylic certainly breaks when hit by MBY! (The base of AntLifter at AWS22)

Simon Windisch · Post by **Simon Windisch** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 8:52 pm

1.5mm Acrylic will shatter all over the place. Have you tried hitting it or throwing it across the room.

In the early days I used to drive Electra down the stairs to see if anything shook loose.

Simon

leo-rcc · Post by **leo-rcc** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 8:59 am

I'm all for it that you use acrylic. It makes Katjuscha look even nastier when it hits.

Seriously though, dont use acrylic, stick with polycarb if it needs to be transparant or hdpe/polypropelyne if it doesnt need to be transparent. Acrylic is not the way to go.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » Wed Apr 21, 2010 8:51 pm

What is the best way to attach 1 mm polycarbonate to a base and still allow flexibility? I intend to have a 1 mm aluminum base.

I am new to ants, but have been building feathers for 7 years.

Simon Windisch · Post by **Simon Windisch** » Wed Apr 21, 2010 10:16 pm

I use M2 bolts. You could tap an M2 thread into the Aluminium?
Simon