28 SERVO 09.2016
EVENT REPORT:
Seattle Bot Bash 2016
The summer of 2016 started off with a literal bang in the Seattle Center Armory
in downtown Seattle, WA. Back in
June, Western Allied Robotics
(WAR) held Seattle Bot Battles 14,
and with a record breaking 58
robots entered across four weight
classes, it was WAR's biggest
event yet. It feels great that the
event and participation has
grown. The event started at 11
AM sharp, and provided a full day
of metal on metal action and
mayhem with no downtime.
Featuring guest judge David
Calkins, founder of RoboGames, the
double elimination event featured
Antweight, Beetleweight,
Hobbyweight, and a relatively new
weight class currently still exclusively
being run in Seattle area events: the
plastic Antweight class. The concept is
to introduce more people to combat
robotics who have access to 3D
printers. Currently, PET, PTG, ABS,
PLA, and PLA+ must be used for the
weapon and chassis.
“It feels like a Sportmans class.
Since the kinetic weapons aren't super
powerful (yet), there’s a lot less
pressure since you most likely won’t
end up with a bot broken in half if
you drive poorly,” commented
Emmanuel Carrilo, builder of Plastic
Fork and winner of the plastic Ant
weight class.
Overall, the class has been
growing and has been a success,
bringing one of the more memorable
moments of the event when Carrilo's
Plastic Fork lifter was able to grab the
spinning drum of Hiller Volt and move
it over towards the arena's pit during
the final.
Before Alex Conus' Hiller Volt
could make it to the final, he had to
go against (and defeat)
his own dad! Hiller Volt
beating Adam's full body
spinner, Plastique was
pretty memorable for the
father and son duo. “Alex
making it to the finals was
by far my favorite part of
the event. Of course, he
had to eliminate his old
man on Father's Day to
get there. I'll get him next
time.”
● by Henry Aird
All the competitors.
The pit area — the calm before the storm.
Dark Pounder vs. El Pollo Gato.