How to make an antweight

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Team Nuclear
Posts: 96
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 10:14 am

How to make an antweight

Post by Team Nuclear »

(taken from my post on the FRA)
Hello everyone,

This has come up a lot on the FRA and robotwars 101 so I'm going to make a guide on how to make an antweight robot.
So let's get started,

The Basics

Antweight robots have to weigh under 150g and fit in a 4" cube.
for more info on the rules visit http://www.antweight.co.uk/rules.htm

Preparing the robot

Building an antweight can be very dangerous if you use tools incorrectly, so if in doubt get a parent to do it or supervise you.

First of all you will want to think of the type of robot you want to build e.g. pusher, axe, spinner(not recommended for beginners) or a flipper. In this guide we will be making a pusher.

Then start doing sketches on what you will want your robot to look like.

Then you will need to get all your components together.

Parts

This is what I used

dsm2 rx http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Orange-6ch-Re ... 27c1a4ad3e
Spektrum dx5e http://www.horizonhobby.co.uk/aeroonlin ... 6dx5e.html
160mah 1s lipo http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor ... _Etc_.html
300rpm micro motors http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6V-300RPM-Tor ... 3366bf48bd
Sabertooth 2x5a http://www.technobotsonline.com/saberto ... 30698.html
1.2mm aluminium http://www.forwardmetals.co.uk/acatalog ... mm_48.html
2mm HDPE http://www.directplasticsonline.co.uk/H ... Black/2mm/

Tools needed

Saw of some sort(preferably a hack saw)
scissors
tin snips
ruler
scribe
soldering iron and solder
drill(hand or pillar)
2.5mm and 3mm drill bit
m2.5 bolts and nuts
m3 bolts and nuts


Let's get started

Step 1

I made the base out of 1.2mm aluminium to cut it I used a hack saw. I marked out an 90mm x 110mm rectangle. I then marked 10 mm from the 90mm edge and folded both sides. To fold the sides I put it in a vice and hit it with a hammer
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Here is it on my hand for size
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Step 2

I then got all the components together, this is what they look like
The sabertooth 2x5a with micro motors in
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The reciver(rx)
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You can either use 2 1s lipos wired in series or 1 2s lipo
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The wheels I used are Lego wheels that I modded so they screw onto the shaft of the motor directly
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Step 3

I then placed all the components on the base to see where they would go
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Step 4

I then made mounts for the motors out of 10mm x 45mm strips of 2mm HDPE.
I marked out 6mm from the edge then 10mm, then 12mm, then 10mm again.
I then got my soldering iron to heat up across the line to bend them at right angles to make this.
Image
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I held the motor in with double sided sticky pads.

Step 5

I marked out 5mm from the edge a 12 x 30mm rectangle, I then cut it out for the wheels to go.
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I did this on both sides.

Step 6

I drilled 4 3mm holes(2 on either side) on the motor mounts to attatch them to the base. I then drilled through the plastic and into the metal. I then bolted the 2 together by using m3x5 bolts and fastened them with 3mm nuts
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Step 7

I then needed to mount the sabertooth 2x5a. I couldn't mount it directly to the base as it is metal and it would short circuit. So I made a 2mm Hdpe base. I measured around the sabertooth, marked it on the 2mm hdpe and cut it out with scissors. I then drilled 2 2.5mm holes, where they are on the sabertooth, into the hdpe and the into the aluminium. I then fastened them together using m2.5x10mm bolts and nuts
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I then got the rx and put 2 layers of tape on the bottom of it so it couldnt short circuit, and then used double sided sticky pads to stick it on the motor mount

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Total weight so far
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Step 8

I used double sided sticky pads to hold the battery down
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Step 9

I used 2mm HDPE as armour. I marked out a 160mm x 90mm rectangle and cut it out with scissors
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I then marked 30mm from either end of the hdpe.
!!THE NEXT PART IS DANGEROUS!!
I got a pan and put some boiling water in and then put the HDPE in. I then let it heat up for 30 seconds then took it out and bent along the line to 90*. I did this on either side to make this
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Step 10

Put the armour on your robot

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Ben
The creator of... Laser, Evil Pig Sty and Striker
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Simon Windisch
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Re: How to make an antweight

Post by Simon Windisch »

Looks good, aren't you worried about your speed controller and receiver shorting out on the aluminium chassis?

Here's my version, a PDF describing how to make my antweight Kat including a cut-out design
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joey_picus
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Re: How to make an antweight

Post by joey_picus »

I think the HDPE base and tape mentioned are to prevent that but it's a good point - thinking about it that may have explained some of The Data Fields' issues early in its life before I switched to a reciever covered in plastic, hehe XD

Good starter guide, personally I would reccommend a pair of these brackets which might save a couple of grams in weight and be a more secure mount, but they are £2 each compared to having the HDPE and bolts lying around ^^
Joey McConnell-Farber - Team Picus Telerobotics - http://picus.org.uk/ - @joey_picus
"These dreams go on when I close my eyes...every second of the night, I live another life"
Team Nuclear
Posts: 96
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 10:14 am

Re: How to make an antweight

Post by Team Nuclear »

@ Simon, I forgot to add to put an HDPE base on the bottom of the sabertooth

@ Joey, I don't have any of those brackets and its just as easy to make them with leftover HDPE
Ben
The creator of... Laser, Evil Pig Sty and Striker
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Simon Windisch
Posts: 1806
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2003 12:00 am
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Re: How to make an antweight

Post by Simon Windisch »

I use the brackets for a "serious" robot and cable ties for a run-all-day robot, more cooling surface for the motors IMHO.
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