Building Bots: Designing and Building Warrior Robots - Softcover

Gurstelle, William

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1556524595 ISBN 13: 9781556524592

Verlag: CHICAGO REVIEW PR, 2002

Inhaltsangabe

This is the definitive guide to designing and building warrior robots like those seen on BattleBots, Robotica, and Robot Wars. It walks robot enthusiasts of all ages step-by-step through the design and building process, enabling them to create any number of customized warrior robots. With a strong emphasis on safety, chapters include designing a robot, choosing materials, radio control systems, electric motors, robot batteries, motor speed controllers, gasoline engines, and drive trains. Clear instructions are accompanied by photos, line drawings, and detailed diagrams throughout. A color section showcases a variety of glorious fighting machines. For beginners, there is machine shop 101 and robot physics, and, of course, chapters on weaponry that include spinner robots, thwackbots, cutting blade robots, lifters, and chameleon robots. When the bot of their dreams is built, suggestions on where to compete and game-day strategies and tactics help readers take the next step. An extensive resource section lists parts suppliers, pertinent Web sites, a radio frequency chart, and a glossary.

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

William Gurstelle is the author of Absinthe and Flamethrowers,  The Art of the Catapult,  the bestselling Backyard Ballistics, Building Bots, Whoosh, Boom, Splat, and Notes from the Technology Underground. He is a professional engineer who has been researching and building model catapults and ballistic devices for more than 30 years. He is a contributing editor at Make magazine and writes frequently for Wired, The Rake, and several other national magazines. He can be contacted at nfttu.blogspot.com.

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Building Bots

Designing and Building Warrior Robots

By William Gurstelle

Chicago Review Press Incorporated

Copyright © 2003 William Gurstelle
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-55652-459-2

Contents

Acknowledgments, 
Introduction, 
1. Safety, 
2. How to Design a Robot, 
3. The Parts of a Fighting Robot, 
4. Radio Control Systems, 
5. Electric Motors, 
6. How to Choose a Fighting Robot Battery, 
7. Motor Speed Controllers, 
8. Gasoline Engines, 
9. Drivetrains, 
10. Material Properties, 
11. Building Materials, 
12. Robot Physics, 
13. Rotating Kinetic Energy Weapons, 
14. More Robot Weaponry, 
15. Fluid-Powered Weaponry: Flippers, Grippers, and Clamps, 
16. Game Day Strategy and Tactics, 
17. The Entrepreneur's Guide to Battling Bots, 
18. Getting Additional Information and Help, 
APPENDIX I: PARTS SUPPLIERS, 
APPENDIX II: RADIO FREQUENCY CHART, 
APPENDIX III: RULES FOR A TYPICAL ROBOT TOURNAMENT, 
Glossary, 
Index, 

CHAPTER 1

SAFETY

Stinger COURTESY A. J. KLEIN OSOWSKI

Given the amount of power and the number of dangerous items found on a typical fighting robot, it is almost inevitable that someday, something bad will happen. This chapter provides some basic, commonsense safety guidelines to get the new builder off on the right foot.

The largest fighting robots weigh over 300 pounds and are powered by large electric motors that have enough power to push a Ford truck uphill. These robots are outfitted with power saws spinning at ridiculous speeds, fast-moving hammers, and high-impact kinetic energy weapons. Many robots use high-pressure pneumatic systems that can burst through heavy pipe. Believe me, fighting robots can be as (or more) dangerous to the people in close proximity to them — the robot builders, the robot drivers, and spectators — than to other robots. The other robots are armored with quarter-inch steel plates. People are not.

I have seen high school kids with no training or education in high-pressure pneumatics attempt to compete with extremely suspect liquid CO2-powered lifting arms. I have yelled at inexperienced builders to not adjust unguarded chain drives wearing long, dangling sleeves. I have heard of close calls when bot drivers attempted to destroy junk, just for fun, in front of spectators, without regard to the inevitable shrapnel produced.

Robot fighting can be very dangerous. If you participate, realize the dangers and heed the instructions given here to mitigate them. Wearing safety glasses and gloves is not nearly enough. No list of safety rules is comprehensive enough to cover every situation.

The suggestions that follow are written to maximize safety. They are only guidelines. Every builder must make safety the number-one priority and accept responsibility to make the bot safe for everyone involved — the builder, the driver, and the spectators.

If you learn only one thing from this book, at least learn this: if you build a robot you do so at your own risk! If you build a robot, it is up to you to build it right and operate it safely. This book will help you. But in the end, all responsibility rests squarely on the shoulders of the builder.

If you are willing to take responsibility for your actions and are still interested in building a fighting robot, then heed these 10 rules. They do not guarantee your safety, but not following them practically guarantees a disaster.

Basic Robot Safety Guidelines

1. Figure out what you're doingbeforeyou do it. If you're going to build robots, don't be half-assed about it — go into it fully assed. Anything less is asking for trouble. If you don't know how to weld, learn how from someone who does. Never used a metal turning lathe? Read up on it. There's a right way and a wrong way to do everything. The wrong way may seem easier, but the right way is better and safer.

2. Always wear safety glasses. Almost every shop operation — cutting, welding, sanding, et cetera — involves the presence of flying metal, wood, or plastic chips. When necessary, wear personal protective equipment, such as welding gloves when welding, hearing protection when conducting noisy operations, and a face mask when using paints or solvents.

3. Get a copy of the rules for any competition you are considering entering. There is always a section on safety rules. Read it for two reasons: (1) it provides guidance for building a robot safely, and (2) you won't waste time designing an illegal bot.

Every tournament has its own unique rules regarding safety. The rules pertain to both the construction requirements of the warrior robot and the procedures that must be followed during the tournament. Some tournaments are very particular about the type of radio controls allowed, and some are more concerned about restraints and tie-downs. Because competitions differ, every builder should obtain a copy of the event rules from the tournament organizer well before the actual event in order to make certain the robot is in strict compliance.

4. Robots are remote-controlled vehicles and they are subject to radio "glitches." This means they may turn on or off unexpectedly. Glitches occur frequently and come from a variety of sources. Besides a simple signal glitch, your robot may also be subject to radio interference from another contestant's radio transmitter, a commercial radio dispatch system, or even a garage door opener. Never place yourself in a situation where an unexpected radio transmission can activate your robot and hurt you or others.

5. There must be an easy-to-reach, easy-to-activate main cutoff switch on the outside of your robot. No matter where you compete, even if you just bang around your garage and scare neighborhood children, your robot must be fitted with a kill switch or removable link. This vitally important safety device is designed such that when it is deactivated or removed, no current flows from the battery to anything else. The drive motors, the weapon motors, the electronics — everything shuts down immediately. This safety device should be completely mechanical; that is, there cannot be any electrical components such as relays or sensors involved.

There are at least a couple of ways of doing this. The first way is to make or purchase a heavy-duty removable link that is easily inserted and extracted from its base. The link is positioned into the circuit in series with the batteries. Removal of the link stops all current flow. The trick is to make it foolproof and easy to pull out when needed, but not so easy as to allow it to be knocked loose by impact during a match.

The second way is to use a high amperage capacity (sometimes called a high ampacity) cutoff switch. These are available at auto part or marine stores that cater to the racing crowd. These switches often utilize a key or Allen wrench that must be inserted into the switch in order to turn it on or off. Automotive and marine supply stores often sell a variety of battery cutoff devices.

6. Watch your fingers! A robot drivetrain may consist of gears, belts, pulleys, shafts, roller chains, sprockets, and what not. These things will remove your finger if they catch it while moving. Be extra careful when working around your drivetrain, and put in guards whenever possible.

7. Many robots are extremely heavy — use proper lifting techniques. Be certain your dollies and other carrying...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: CHICAGO REVIEW PR
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2002
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 1556524595
• ISBN 13: 9781556524592
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Auflage: 1
• Anzahl der Seiten: 256
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: Nicht verfügbar