"Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it" - Edmund Burke
Here are twenty rules that every bot builder should follow.
Do your homework (because I know you have not done anything yet), read the Kickin' Bots book and spend many hours and days online doing research.
First task, take inventory of ALL of the parts. (Every single day, no joke, we found something new that was stashed away.)
Build a 3d model of the robot using ACCURATE dimensions and CHECK FOR INTERFERNENCE.
Make a prototype so you know the placement of parts BEFORE you build your frame.
Design the frame so each part has a specific location, thus reducing the weight needed for mounting brackets.
DO NOT use ball casters; they are used in FIRST, not Battlebots. (And definitely do not use their gearboxes either)
Do not use anything made by IFI. Their speed controllers are unreliable and their radio system is horribly faulty.
Double up the electric system so that if any component fails, the robot will still be able to function normally. For example, get two DUAL speed controllers and have two battery packs that supply power to both of the controllers. Then run ONE pair of wires from each motor to BOTH of the speed controllers (This is why each motor has four wires). Say one of the speed controllers gets fried, instead of being completely incapacitated; the battlebot will be able to function normally. To engineers, this is known as double redundancy.
Give yourself enough ground clearance (When you get hit by the hammers, trust me, you will, leave enough clearance so that your metal armor that will easily curl under your robot will not make it get stuck)
Do not guess when making electrical connections. (Black smoke is not your friend)
Use stock parts instead of custom machined parts, at least for everything but the weapon, so that when something breaks, it's cheap and easy to fix.
Set goals and always try to meet them. Things will always get done quicker if there is a specific date it needs to be done. More importantly though, NEVER, I mean NEVER make shortcuts to meet the deadline. If an unforeseen problem arises, figure out the best way to solve it instead of a temporary solution.
Always be safe, these are EXTREMELY dangerous robots. Spatha releases 1,000 pounds of force in .06 seconds. The tips could shatter bones and cut through skin like butter. Never drive the battlebot up next to someone because malfunctions are a common occurrence.
When it's complete, stay one or two pounds underweight because repairs made down the road will push it closer to the limit.
When testing, run it straight into a wall without hesitation and keep on pushing until the wheels burn up. (If your batteries go first then they batteries don't have enough current).
Try to chase a moving target, its a lot harder than you think. (If you can catch a remote controlled car, throw it to the roof in the Events Entrance, and make it explode on impact, you're doing pretty well)
Test the robot until it breaks, fix it, repeat.
USE LOCKTITE on EVERY bolt and nut. And re-tighten EVERY nut and bolt after EACH match. (You can ignore this when the battlebot is first being built but that means that once it is complete, EVERYTHING needs to be stripped off and replaced using LOCKTITE)
Have fun, you are going to spend a whole year building a battlebot that is only going to compete in a couple matches. If you enjoy building the battlebot, it will be worth it.
I'm running out of ideas so...#20: Follow these rules and under no circumstances should you make an exception to them.
