What is Combat Robotics?

؜An engineering challenge to create a remote controlled machine that causes as much damage to its opponent as possible

What are the Most Popular Types of Competition?

3 pound (beetleweight) and 1 pound (antweight) due to complexity and price, as their size allows them to be primarily 3D printed

Why is a Guide Needed?

؜There is a lack of detailed resources for beginners entering the antweight class...

The goal is to create an in-depth guide to building plastic antweight bots that can be an introduction to combat robotics

Why Combat Robotics?

Combat robotics is an exciting and rewarding way to learn important design thinking skills as well as technical skills

It emphasizes the iterative process and requires computer aided design (CAD)

When first making the guide I wrote down all the most important topics about combat robotics. I chose these topics based off of other guides and my own experience of making combat robots. I also included common robots archetypes people make.

Making the Guide

General Chassis Design:

General Weapon Design:

Wheels:

Electronics:

The breakdown of the most important topics when it comes to Combat Robotics:

General Chassis Design

General Weapon Design, 

Electronics, and Wheels

؜This survey was given out to the NuVu combat robotics club , compromised of mostly beginners, asking what were the most challenging aspects of building a combat robot.

Survey

In an interview with project advisor Evan, the president of the WPI combat robotics club, he gave his recommendations of what topics to cover in the guide.

Expert Input

Evan's Advice:

Best starting bot is a drum

Cover weapon force transfer, weapon locks, weapon stack clearances, weapon pulleys, weapon gears

Review what specs to look for in electronics and controller mixing

Explain cantilever vs supported weapons

After writing the guide I decided to test it by having someone who has never created a combat robot use the weapon design section of my guide to create a combat robot weapon. I had them focus on the profile of the weapon and not on the designing how they would mount the weapon.

Testing the Guide

This was the weapon made by the participant using the guide. This weapon is almost good, missing one key thing. I forgot to mention filleting your weapon teeth. The weapon teeth should be filleted for more strength. This will make it less likely for the teeth to break off.

Without fillet

Testing the Guide

With fillet

The Final Guide

Next Steps

Add more chapters

Add more example combat robot builds