Bristless!!

I added some very spiky and long bristles to the back of my bot, to add a thick line of defense behind the bot, to protect it from hard hits while remaining extremely light, unlike a solid extention.

Screw Switch

A slot for the screw switch was also added, so i can turn the bot on and off from the outside, and ensuring that the switch cant accidentally be switched off in a battle.

Thanks it!

Pretty short Devlog, but thank you for reading! Hope you’re as excited for this build as i am! Hopefully it gets approved quickly as well!

First Devlog!

New Project

This is my new project, a 150g Antweight cobat robot with a flat body, an aggressive design, and a large horizontal weapon spinning at speeds of 25,000 rpm. This is in succession to Cat-aclysm, my prior combat robot, from which i learnt a lot and implemented into this one!

Idea

Most parts of this robot contrast Cataclysm, since i wanted to make something completely different, and also to fix all the features that malfunctioned or did not perform well in Cataclysm. A major feature that went very wrong in Cataclysm was its weapon blade, which kept on shattering on impact. This time, i ensured the blade would have a uniform spread of the pressure, and would not shatter instantly upon a hit.

Designing The Weapon

I began with designing the weapon blade on Fusion, and unfortunately forgot to track it. With lots of help from a friend, who thouroughly explained exactly how to design a perfect weapon blade using his helpful diagrams, which ive attached below!

CADing the main components

Next i imported all electronics and the weapon blade into a common Onshape document and lay them out where i saw fit. Then i made a rough sketch around them and built up. I added a hollow compartment to hold electronics, designed thick weapon struts, and quickly replaceable wheel guards. The wheels will be 3D printed this time, with O rings for extra grip.

Plan for future

If i have weight left from my 150g limit, i will be adding bristles to the back of the bot, since it was a very effective strategy used by Makers muse, which he has given permission to me to use.

Thank you!

Thank you for reading this devlog, it was pretty long, and i hope you enjoyed! I will be building this bot as soon as i get funding!

Finished CAD

All CAD is complete for the project, including extra components that i will not be 3D printing. I have designed the secondary fins to add more stability, and because they look really cool, and added an aerofoil cross section to all the fins. The rocket will be spray painted for a smoother surface finish, and will have its name painted on the side. I have also CADed a stencil for the name, which can be 3d printed and attached when spray painting.

Thats it!

Pretty short log, but thank you for reading anyway! I will be shipping the project for funding, so hopefully it gets approved soon!

New Project!

Phantom is my new project, a high soaring model rocket that stretches the upper bounds of a C-size motor at Mach 0.5! I made this rocket to improve upon my previous design and see how high a rocket can fly on a C6-5 motor.

Sketch

As with all my other projects, i began this project by sketching out the rocket and how i wanted it to look, as well as deciding a name for it! The sketch also helped me decide what materials each component will be made of, where each part will be positioned, and how each component will be maufactured.

Simulation

I use an open source app called open rocket to simulate my rockets, which is very helpful in providing theorized flight data and an apogee to determine whether a rocket is fit for flight! My simulation is attached below:

CAD

Based upon my simulated design and concept sketch, i began CADing the rocket on Onshape, as the nosecone will be 3D printed, and plan to continue adding an aerofoil shape to the fins. The nose cone is a parabolic series, with a 1mm thick wall and space internally to hold a altimeter. An image of the CAD is attached below.

Thank you!

Thank you for reading this if you made it this far, and hope you like the project! I will be launching this rocket when complete, so look out for that!

Competition Day

Overview

Cat-Aclysm was an amazing bot to fight, and I thoroughly enjoyed the build process, so thank you to everyone for your support, whether you helped me buid it, liked or viewed my devlogs, or just wanted to see some custom RC cars destroy each other. It did not place as well in the competition as I would have liked, but I do have lots of good feedback and stuff to improve.

Placement

Cat-Aclysm placed 12th out of 18 robots in the plastic ant class, winning 1 battle and losing 3. On the first day, the bot’s weapon unfortunately blew up in every single battle due to a structural issue, which was promptly fixed through lotsa overnight work and no sleep, and then Cataclysm won its first battle on the second day!

TIME TO SHIP!

The battle bot is finally complete, and I will be shipping the project after this final devlog! Attached below is one of the fights with my bot, as unfortunately the rest of them are too heavy to attach. If you would like them, as well as some much more explosive fights, DM me on slack for the full videos! Enjoy!

New Bots Are Coming

I will be continuing the hobby of combat robotics, so look out for some of my new robot designs that will be coming soon!

Most likely final Log

Thank you!

Firstly, before i keep going on about what i did to finalise my bot, i want to thank everyone who followed along for the journey, liked my devlogs, gave me a comment, or took the time to read the nonsnse i type. Thanks for all of the support and im so excited for this bot to fight this weekend! I will upload videos for anyone whos interested!

Wheels dont FITT!

The wheels that i purchased unfortunately did not fit on the motor, so i had to design my own, with rubber grips. It was a pretty quick process, and i got the sizes perfect first try, and solved that  problem pretty quick!

Battery doesn’t FITT!

Unfortunately for me, i forgot to account for the space the wiring would require, so there wasn’t enough space left for the battery to fit. To accomodate for this, i did a pretty makeshift solution, and slightly raised the section above the battery to allow it to fit!

SLIGHT miscalculations

I have suprisingly made a mistake when calculating the weight, as the bot is severely underweight, weighing in at 130.98g! This is nothing to worry about, the weight is well below the 150g limit, and provides me with a bit of buffer in case something happens.

Soldering

I soldered together all the components of the bot at UNSW, and unfortunately did not lapse my lead fume filled hours spent attaching wires to more wires. I suprisingly got the circuit right the first time, and it funtions perfectly!

Thank you again!

Thanks for reading this log if you made it this far, and hope you will be supporting my bot for this competetion! Ty! An image of the bot is attached below!

First Log!

New Project

This is my new project, a small, portable, rechargeable smoke machine for parties and cool effects in general. I dont actually remember how i got this idea, but as soon as i did, i delved into a lot of research to make it really compact while making lotsa smoke.

Sketching

As usual, i sketched out my ideas on paper, making multiple versions each time i got a new idea. I got some input from my science teacher, as well as a few uni students, especially on the capillary action performed by the fibre glass wick and the smoke liquid to be used. The sketches are attached below, with the final one being V3, as V4 is not practical to be put into action.

The genral design is to have a central encasing around a fibreglass wick, which is wrapped with nichrome wire. The bottom of the fibreglass wick is dipped slightly in the liquid from the reservior, relying upon the capillary action to lift the liquid. The nichrome wire is then heated up, evaporating the mixture into plumes of food safe smoke, blown out by the diaphragm pump.The liquid mixture that i have decided upon is a 50//50 mix of Propylene glycol and Glycerin, which is food safe and easy to use and make.

CAD 

I have done most of the CAD, and plan to have a few parts machined out of aluminum since plastic isnt the best for heat or storing liquids. I still am yet to add threads, since i dont know how to do that in Onshape, so please reach out to me if you know how to, i would really appreciate it. (Ive tried it a lot, and got it wrong every time).

Thank you!

Thank you for reading this if you got this far, hope you liked the project! Ill be posting an update soon!

Final Tweaks

Maths is over!

My maths test is finally done, so now i have some extra time to work on this! Sorry i havent posted a devlog in a while.

4hrs of tweaks

Im logging 4hrs of tweaking the design, making tiny changes to make it ready for printing with ABS! Some of the things i changed were;

• Different type of N20 motor mounts
• Added weapon motor mounts
• Made the weapon struts removable and replaceable
• Added routing for the weapon motor’s wires
• Added screw holes

DECIDED UPON A NAME!!!

This bot is officially registered into the competetion in 2 weeks as… drumroll…..Cat Aclysm! This name was chosen since the bot looks kinda like a cat from the top profile.

Soldering

I began to solder together the parts of the bot, involving very intricate wire splicing because i thought it would be fun to add 2 LEDs instead of the required 1. :/

Thats It!

Thats it for this devlog! Thank you for reading if you made it this far!

Quick Log

Adding Components

I quickly CADed up the internal components of the light, to roughly represent their sizing, fit and spacing. All lose electronics will be attached using a glue gun.

Reason for Rough CAD

Unfortunately, most of the components i require do not havr CAD files available, making me resort to rough mockups to demonstrate where all the parts would fit.

Thats it!

pretty short devlog, but ty for reading!

Partss!

Funding Approved

Thank you soo much @RR for approving funding for my project! Sorry I haven’t posted a devlog in a while, I was ordering parts and doing the final tweaks to the design. All the parts have been ordered, and I’m currently waiting for delivery.

Lower Chassis

I lowered the chassis by making the wheels closer to the floor, and sloped the front armour to restrict my bot from getting picked up from the front or outmanoeuvred. This also allows my bot to scoop up other bots and guide them into my weapon blade.

Mouting the BE1806 motor

I split the chassis struts into seperate parts so they can be printed flat, which makes them stronger vertically. Then I added mounting holes for M2 screws, which directly screw into the motor. Then a channel was extruded to route the motor wires back through the chassis and to the ESC and the Malenki.

Break

This project will be taking a back seat for the next week as I wait for parts to deliver and due to upcoming exams! I’ll finish the build pretty soon after though, as the event I’m competing in is on 20th September!

Controller

I also purchased the controller for the bot, and will need to set it up myself soon! It is a Jumper T16 with replaced ribbons. An annoying thing is that i have to charge the batteries using a specific LiPo charger that I don’t have, so I’ll need to get that.

Thank you!

Thanks for reading this devlog if u made it this far! Hope you’re as excited for this bot as I am!

P.S: I still need a name, so please suggest me some names in the comments below! Thank you!

Making the whole thing!

Base Shape

I started of by extruding the top cross section of the case, then using the side profile to remove sections while keeping an angular face. Then i hollowed out the part, allowing for electronics to fit inside.

Mounts and Solar Panels

After hollowing it out, i extruded holes for screws to connect the back plate to thhe front, allowing for easy assembly. Then a USBc port was added to allow a secondary method of charging. A cutout was made for the solar panel to slot in, as well as a tray just below for the second one. A hole was added in the centre so the switch can be screwed in place.

Thank you!

If you have any suggestions to my design, please tell me in the comments below. Thank you for reading!

P.S: A wiring diagram is also attached below!

First Devlog!

Light Design Concept Sketches

To start my designs, i sketched out a few ideas i had in mind. The first one is meant to be sleek, modern, and blend into the enviornment where its placed, while the second design, my personal favorite, is more futuristic, and designed similar to an EDC product.the concept sketches are attached below.

Thank you for reading! If anyone has any other light designs that would be rlly cool, please tell me below! I’ll try to make it!

Test Rig

CAD 

I quickly CADed up a test rig adaptor for the weapon, to allow me to test the weapon’s centre of gravity and damage using a small 3V motor i had lying around while i wait for the approval of funding so i can buy the brushless motor it was designed for. The 3V motor only reaches around 8000 RPM, which is much lower than the 20,000 RPM the BLDC can provide.

Making the Rig

I 3D printed the adaptor with some PLA, and assembled the rig with a stable base. I used the motor mount that came with the 3V motor to secure it to a wooden block (and yes, your eyes do not deceive you, it’s a massive domino peice), so it doesn’t move around while testing. An Image of the rig is attached below.

Now we wait…

I have everything ready to test, now i just need to wait for my funding to be approved so i can purchase the required fillament for the Robot! As soon as i get the fillament and print the part, i will be releasing a devlog showing the testing of the weapon on the rig!!!

Thank you for reading this far lol! I hope i get the funding soon so i can begin building!

Problems have arisen

Switch Cover design

While I was waiting for the project to get approved for funding, I decided to add a small cover for the screw switch, and generally touch up the design. I countersunk the screw holes for M3 screws I bought (hopefully I can get re-imbursed for these as well) and designed 2 types of covers for the screw switch on the robot that turns it on. The two designs are attached in the image below, so please tell me which one I should keep on the bot! (Spikes or the flat, boring, plain cover)

Weight Issues

My bot is slightly overweight, around 5 grams over, and I need to drop dead weight, especially from the chassis. I tried hollowing out the front prongs, but this actually increased the weight as it added more walls, meaning a denser design. I then adjusted some slicer settings and thinned the walls of my bot, which got the weight back under the limit. Unfortunately, I would prefer to have some margin as I still need to add hot glue to stick in the motors and the PCB, and my bot is currently 149.8 grams (the limit is 150g).

To solve this issue, I plan to make the blade thinner, which does mean it will have a lesser reach. If anyone has better suggestions to drop weight, pls let me know in the comments since I really would prefer to keep a wider blade.

Just a lil extra thing i was working on that i wanted to share! Below is the image for my robot team’s (just me so far) logo; Robo Sapiens! Lol I found this so amusing I had to make a devlog about it!

P.s if anyone has name suggestions for my bot, pls tell me down in the comments, i currently have no idea what in going to name it

Chosen Design

After careful consideration, I chose the aggressive vertical front spinner as my final design. I have moderate to extensive experience in Onshape, so i used that to begin designing. Before beginning to design, i found STEP files for N20 motors and used the dimensions from my planning stage to place in the electronic components. Then i began with a roughly shaped sketch of the design, which i extruded to the desired length. Then I shelled it out with a 2mm wall to allow space for the electronics.

Weapon design

My weapon blade design is based off James KIrby’s D.E.S blade. The weapon support struts are extremely thick as many bots have lost their weapons due to broken struts. The weapon uses a BE1806 motor and a 20Ah ESC to drive it. The weapon unfortunately was not big enough to house the motor, so adjustments had to be made to allow a larger weapon.

Feedback and Re-iteration

An extremely helpful individual from the university provided me extensive feedback upon the design, which significantly improved my design and allowed my robot to remain under the weight category. Thank you!

Specific Design modifications through feedback;

• Changed Malenki nano orientation to vertical just behind weapon
• Allowed the wheels to protrude slighly from the back so the bot doesnt get stuck on its back
• Smaller chassis for lesser weight (Removed unecessary space)
• Added Mounts for screw switch and LED

If you made it this far, thank you for reading! If you have any suggestions for my bot, I’m always willing to improve, so please tell me in the comments below. Thanks!

Final Design is attached below along with a wiring diagram (It should be unless theres something else to fix)

P.s there’s a cover on the bot, i just dont have it visible in the renders

Sketching Robot Designs and Parts with Dimensions

Inspiration

I’ve always been intrigued by battle robots, and when I discovered that there is a competition near by that hosts mini battle bots, I was immediately drawn to it. I did lots of research into it and discovered there were many categories and classes. I decided to make a bot for the Antweight plastic class category, and one that would easily be upgraded to the open class category. An example battle bot is shown below (not mine).

Overview

The Antweight Battle Bot competition is a miniature combat robotics event where custom-built remote-controlled machines face off in a bulletproof, enclosed arena. This weight class serves as the ultimate entry point for engineering hobbyists due to its low cost, minimal space requirements, and strict design constraints.

Weapon and drive motor sketches with dimensions

I first sketched out the motors and electronic components used for the battle bot at a 1:1 scale with dimensions, to give me a better sense of the sizing of the parts and to start thinking of the arrangements.

Bot concept sketches

After planning a base robot in my mind, I finalised 3 main robot designs I liked. I sketched these 3 out and asked for input from a few people who have experience in this field, including Angus from makers muse (the YouTuber). I decided upon the vertical spinner design with aggressive front forks. My 3 bot sketches are attached below.

Version 1: Viper

Version 2: (Unamed)

Version 3: Skull Krusher