Servo - November 2008

Storm II has internal wheels.

Tillah uses belts to power its spinning drum.

Totally Offensive uses gears to drive around the arena.

beams to form a strong skeletal chassis. Armor and components are then mounted to the chassis. This arrangement allows for easy replacement of damaged armor and components, and easy access at any angle. The main downside of this type of chassis is that unless it’s very carefully designed it will be heavier than the other chassis styles.

The second type of chassis uses the frame itself as armor. Instead of working like a skeleton, this chassis functions more like the shell on a crab. A strong outer body with rigid internal supports holds all the parts and provides for a very strong

Village Idiot has a skeletal chassis.

defense. This style tends to be lighter than a skeletal chassis but often leads to difficulty in replacing or accessing parts.

The third type of chassis functions similarly to the second, but relies on a strong base plate for component mounting. The armor normally is a shell that can be completely removed for easy access to most of the components. The one difficulty with a chassis like this is making it strong enough to hold up to combat while keeping the weight low.

These are only a few of the most popular chassis styles. There are more options of varying complexity and many hybrids of the three mentioned that have seen success in robot combat.

Armor

Choosing the right armor is often the difference between winning and losing in robot combat. Do you go with the stronger, heavier steel? Do you choose the light, but easily cut polycarbonate?

Perhaps aluminum or titanium armor is a better fit for the job.

You are not limited to a single choice in armor. Often robots will be heavily armored in areas the builders think will be subject to the most stress and have something that acts essentially as a dust cover for less vital areas. When choosing which material, how much, and where, you should look at the robots you’ll likely face. If there are very few robots with hammer weapons, top armor is less of a priority. With most arenas in use today, there isn’t much need for thick bottom armor unless it is a structural part of your robot. Layering different materials can work very well in robot combat. Having a thin layer of a material resistant to cutting over a thicker impact resistant material that cuts easily can act to minimize the negatives while keeping weight and costs low. SV