Motors

2021-06-07T10:02:36Z

MarkR: /* Brushless Motors */

Electric motors impart a continuous spinning motion and are used in nearly every combat robot. They work by creating a rotating magnetic field, which is used to spin a shaft or a shell at high speed. Many motors will be attached to a gearbox, generally used to decrease the shaft speed and increase torque.

[[File:Brushless_Motor_8085.jpg|thumb|Maytech Brushless 8085]]

=Brushed (DC) Motors=
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brushed_DC_electric_motor DC Brushed] motors have historically dominated the sport due to their availability and simplicity. These motors have an electrical connection to the spinning part of the motor using contacts called [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brush_(electric) brushes].

DC motors have two wires or connections. Apply a suitable DC voltage to these and the motor will spin; reverse the connections, and the motor will spin in the opposite direction.

While these motors can be operated at full speed by switching power on and off as described, an [[ESCs|electronic speed controller (ESC)]] will allow you to control speed by turning the power on and off in very fast pulses. Most ESCs can also reverse the motor direction while in use, so that weapons, tires, etc. can move both ways. Only ESCs made for brushed motors can be used.

==Common brushed DC motors==
There are literally hundreds of motors to choose from but certain choices have become favorites over the years due to their availability and suitability for robot combat in terms of output-speed at typical voltages, ease of mounting into designs, and robustness. As with all things in robot combat, there are different choices common to different weight classes. 
In 150g to 1-pound classes the most common motors are N20 and 16mm motors from places like [https://www.fingertechrobotics.com/products.php?cat=Motors+%26+Mounts FingerTech] or [https://www.botkits.com/collections/all-products BotKits] 
In the 3-pound classes, 25mm spur gear motors and 22mm planetary gear motors are very common. 

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Common Brushed DC Gear Motors
|-
! Motor Type !! Source 1 !! Source 2 !! Source 3
|-
| N20 Spur Gear || [https://www.endbots.com/products/n20-gearmotor EndBots] || [https://www.servocity.com/premium-n20-gear-motors/ ServoCity] || [https://www.dfrobot.com/product-1487.html DFRobot]
|-
| 16mm Spur Gear || [https://www.fingertechrobotics.com/proddetail.php?prod=ft-Sspark16 FingerTech] || [https://www.botkits.com/products/four-battle-hardened-motors?_pos=6&_sid=a383cc490&_ss=r BotKits] ||
|-
| 20mm Spur Gear || [https://www.endbots.com/products/20mm-lightning-gearmotor EndBots] || [https://www.servocity.com/econ-spur-gear-motors/ ServoCity] ||
|-
| 22mm Planetary Gear || [https://www.botkits.com/collections/all-products/products/22mm-dc-gearmotor-with-aluminum-gearbox?variant=12493978959974 BotKits] || [https://rectifiedrobotics.com/collections/motors/products/22mm-planetary-gearmotor-1 RectifiedRobotics] || [https://www.servocity.com/premium-planetary-gear-motors/ ServoCity]
|-
| 25mm Spur Gear || [https://www.kitbots.com/product.sc?productId=20&categoryId=1 KitBots] || [https://www.endbots.com/products/ga25-gearmotor EndBots]|| [https://www.servocity.com/econ-spur-gear-motors/ ServoCity]
|-
| 25mm Double Spur Gear || [https://absolutechaosrobotics.bigcartel.com/product/940rpm-double-geared-25mm-motors AbsoluteChaosRobotics] ||
|}

=Brushless Motors=
In recent years [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brushless_DC_electric_motor DC Brushless] motors have become more popular. Brushless motors are often both faster and lighter than an equivalent brushed motor, while experiencing less friction, remaining more efficient and less susceptible to heat related failures.

Brushless motors have 3 or even 4 wires, and they will not operate at all without a brushless [[ESCs|electronic speed controller (ESC)]]. This specialized circuit synthesizes the rotating magnetic field by sending waves of power into pairs of wires in sequence. By altering which wires are used, the ESC can also reverse the motor; by adjusting the shape of the waves, it can change the speed and torque of the motor. This gives a builder many options, but can make setup of brushless motors very complicated.

Brushless motors are also known as BLDC (Brushless direct current). There are (at least) two types - sensorless and sensored. The sensorless motors are generally used on flying drones and lower weight class robots as they are simpler and require less wiring. An ESC needs to support the right type of motor, as well as suitable current and voltage rating.

One disadvantage of sensorless brushless motors is that they have very little startup torque so they can't get going quickly, or push at low speeds (if used for drive). This can potentially be fixed by using a sensored motor and/or a very clever ESC.

As brushless drone motors are usually intended to handle only very light startup torque (propellers), they often have difficulty starting when a heavier spinning weapon is attached. You will see many fights lost when a spinner couldn't start up their weapon.

==Common brushless DC motors==
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Common Brushless Gear Motors
|-
! Source !! Link
|-
| RectifiedRobotics || [https://rectifiedrobotics.com/products/rectified-robotics-brushless-planetary-gearmotor Brushless Planetary]
|-
| OwOBotics || [https://www.owobotics.com/product/opbox-mkiv OPBox MkIV]
|-
| RobotMatter || [https://robotmatter.com/collections/beetle-3lbs/products/mercurybox-set Mercury Box]
|}

=Picking the right motor=
There are tradeoffs between the two motor types so do a little research to determine which is most suitable for you.

[https://robotcombatwiki.com/wiki/Brushed_vs._Brushless Choosing a motor - Brushed or Brushless] 

[https://robotcombatwiki.com/wiki/Gear_Reduction Gear Reduction] 

[https://robotcombatwiki.com/wiki/Hardening_Motors Making Motors Combat Ready] 

[https://robotcombatwiki.com/wiki/Insect_Class_Motors Insect Class Motors] 

[https://robotcombatwiki.com/wiki/Hobby_and_Feather_Motors Hobby and Feather Class Motors] 

[https://robotcombatwiki.com/wiki/Large_Robot_Motors Large Robot Motors]

Radio List

2021-05-04T20:31:02Z

MarkR:

These radios are known to work for Robot Combat. They will failsafe appropriately if used with a standard receiver. Radios included in this list can currently be purchased. There are many legacy systems that work well but replacement receivers are no longer available. 

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Currently Available Radios
|-
! Name !! Style !! Channels !! Protocol !! Price !! Mixing !! Receiver Option !! Notes
|-
| [https://www.flysky-cn.com/i6-gaishu Flysky FS-i6] || Twin Stick || 6 || AFHDS 2A || $60 || Elevon / V-Tail || FS-iA6: 7grams || Widely used, well documented
|-
| Turnigy Evolution / Evolution Pro || Twin Stick || 6 || AFHDS 2A || $80 || None || FS-iA6: 7grams || Has a funky touchscreen but does not do mixing,
|-
| [https://www.flysky-cn.com/nb4 Flysky Noble NB4] || Pistol || 4 || AFHDS 3 || $180-$200 || Tank Steering || SR215: 6 grams ||Easy to program
|-
| [https://www.spektrumrc.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdId=SPM5010 Spektrum DX5 Pro] || Pistol || 5 || DSMR/DSM2 || $300 || Tank Steering || FGr4S: 5.1 grams || -
|-
| [https://www.spektrumrc.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdId=SPM6600 Spektrum DX6i] || Twin Stick || 6 || DSM/DSM2 || $200 || Yes || AR620: 8grams || -
|-
| [https://www.frsky-rc.com/product/taranis-q-x7-2/ Taranis Q X7] || Twin Stick || 24 || ACCESS || $140 || Programable || Archer R4: 3.8grams || OpenTX Firmware
|-
| [https://www.fingertechrobotics.com/proddetail.php?prod=t6a_transmitter T6A] || Twin Stick || 6 || AFHDS || $40 || Yes || [https://www.fingertechrobotics.com/proddetail.php?prod=tr6a-v2 TR6A]: 8grams || -
|}
 
Legacy radio systems can work perfectly but use old protocols and you can't reliably buy new receivers. You can sometimes find replacement receivers on Ebay or other sites but if you are starting out there are plenty of inexpensive radios to choose from.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Legacy Radio Systems
|-
! Name !! Style !! Channels !! Protocol !! Price !! Mixing !! Receiver Option !! Notes
|-
| - || - || - || - || - || - || - || -
|}

Events

2021-04-30T17:42:43Z

MarkR:

[[File:WAR_Sportsman.jpg|thumb|Sportsman Rumble at WAR]]
==Finding Events==
Most events are listed on the [https://robotcombatevents.com RobotCombatEvents] website. You can use the page's [https://www.robotcombatevents.com/searches/new Search] feature to search for events by location. You can sort the results to find events that are close to you. If you don't see any events close by, try searching for past events to see if there are other closer organizations that are closer.

==Hosting Events==
So you've got the robot combat bug and you want to host an event. There are a lot of things involved so before you host an event you should attend one to learn how they are run. If you are sure you want to make a poor life choice and host your own event, head over to [http://sparc.tools Sparc.Tools] for a treasure trove of information. The site has guidelines on [http://sparc.tools/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/SPARC_Tournament_Procedures_v1.1.pdf Tournament Procedures], [http://sparc.tools/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/SPARC_Match_Rules_v1.2.pdf Match Rules], [http://sparc.tools/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/SPARC_Judging_Guidelines_v1.1.pdf Judging Guidelines], and [http://sparc.tools/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/SPARC_Arena_Construction_Best_Practices_v1.0.pdf Arena Construction]. Once you've read everything then you need to think about where you'll store the arena, how it will be transported, where you will hold your events, how will you get help running them? It's a big commitment and if you are ready to do it the rewards can be terrific but know what you are getting yourself into.

==Current Event Clubs==
Here is a partial list of robot combat events in alphabetical order. 
Some of these groups hold multiple events each year while others hold them less often. Some are actual clubs or organizations while others are just lone individuals putting on events. In all cases they should be thanked! Most use either the [[Rules|SPARC or FRA rules]], but if you are planning on competing you should check with each event's organizer for the specific rules they will use.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Event Organizations
|-
! Event !! State !! City !! Country !! Supported Classes
|-
| [https://www.facebook.com/groups/AdelaideRobotCombat/permalink/2049861968618530/ Adelaide Robot Combat] || South Australia || Adelaide || AU || 150g
|-
| [https://www.facebook.com/groups/alburywodogarobotbattles/ Albury Wodogaro Robot Battles] || New South Wales || Albury || AU || 150g
|-
| [http://www.angryroosterrobotics.com/ Angry Rooster Robotics] || Alabama || Huntsville || USA ||1lb, 1lb-Plastic, 3lb
|-
| [http://antlog.garya.org.uk/ Antweight World Series] || England, occasionally others || Touring event - many locations || UK, occasionally others ||150g
|-
| [http://azroboticcombat.com/ Arizona Robotic Combat] || Arizona || Phoenix || USA ||150g, 1lb 1lb-Plastic, 3lb
|-
| [https://www.facebook.com/groups/AtlantaRobotFightClub/ Atlanta Robot Fight Club] || George ||Atlanta || USA || Unknown
|-
| [https://www.facebook.com/groups/2172601139696740 Backwoods Combat Robots] || Tennessee || Chapel Hill || USA || 150g, 1lb, 1lb-Plastic, 3lb
|-
| [https://www.battlebots.com/ Battlebots] || California ||Los Angeles || USA || 250lb
|-
| [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057054446012 Bay Area Robotic Combat] || California || Richmond || USA || 150g, 1lb, 1lb-Plastic
|-
| [https://www.facebook.com/Bayside-Robotics-104627878106463/ Bayside Robotics] || Delaware ||Newark || USA || 150g, 1lb, 1lb-Plastic
|-
| [https://www.facebook.com/groups/Beetleweight/ BeetleBelt] || England || Burgess Hill || UK || 3lb
|-
| [https://botgeddon.com/ Bot'Geddon] || California || Rocklin || USA || 150g, 1lb, 1lb-Plastic
|-
| [https://botblast.webs.com/ Bot Blast] || Pennsylvania || Bloomburg || USA || 1lb, 3lb, 6lb
|-
| [http://www.botbrawl.ca/ Bot Brawl] || Ontario || Mississauga || CA || 1lb, 3lb, 30lb-Sumo, 150-Sumo
|-
| [http://antlog.garya.org.uk/ Bot Fest] || England || Liverpool || UK || 150g
|-
| [https://bristolbotbuilders.com/events.html Bristol Bot Builders] || England || Bristol || UK || 150g, 3lb, 30lb
|-
| [https://bugglebots.com/ BuggleBots] || England || Bristol || UK || 3lb
|-
| [http://www.carolinacombat.com/ Carolina Combat Robots] || North Carolina || Hickory || USA || 150g, 1lb, 1lb-Plastic, 3lb
|-
| [http://www.circpeoria.org/ Central Illinois Robotics Club] || Illinois || Peoria || USA || 1lb, 3lb
|-
| [https://www.facebook.com/groups/ColoradoCombatRobotics Colorado Combat Robotics] || Colorado || Denver || USA || 150g, 1lb, 1lb-Plastic, 3lb, 12lb, 30lb, 30lb-Sportsman
|-
| [https://www.facebook.com/groups/CombatRobotNZ Combat Robotics NZ] || Auckland || Grafton || NZ || 1lb, 3lb
|-
| [https://www.facebook.com/groups/437521800412767/ Combat Robots of Oklahoma] || Oklahoma || Tulsa || USA || 150g, 1lb, 3lb
|-
| [https://athena.ecs.csus.edu/~comprobo/Events.html Competitive Robotics at Sacramento State] || California || Sacramento || USA || 1lb
|-
| [http://www.dutchrobotgames.nl/ Dutch Robot Games] || Gelderland || Ulft || NL || 30lb
|-
| [https://mad-metal-machines.de/ German Roboteers Association] || Lower Saxony || Hannover || DE || 150g, 1lb, 3lb, 12lb, 30lb
|-
| [https://www.facebook.com/groups/303491806487599 Houston Group] || Texas || Houston || USA || 150g, 1lb, 3lb
|-
| [https://ipswichroboticssportsgroup.wordpress.com Ipswich Robotics Sport Group] || Queensland || Brisbane || AU || 150g, 3lb
|-
| [https://makerspacect.com/makerbattle/ MakerspaceCT] || Connecticut || Hartford || USA || 3lb
|-
| [http://macrobot.us/ Macrobot.us] || Maryland || Baltimore || USA || 1lb-Plastic
|-
| [http://www.mtras.com/ Middle Tennessee Robotics Art Society] || Tennessee || Nashville || USA || 150g, 1lb, 3lb
|-
| Minnesota Combat Robotics || Minnesota || Eagan || USA || 150g, 1lb
|-
| [https://www.facebook.com/missourirobotfights/ Missouri Robot Fights] || Missouri || Joplin || USA || 1lb
|-
| [https://gonrl.org National Robotics League] || Various || Various || USA || 15lb
|-
| [https://www.nerc.us North East Robotics Club] || Pennsylvania || Harrisburg || USA || 150g, 1lb, 3lb, 12lb, 30lb, 30lb-Sportsman
|-
| [https://50day.io/mediawiki/index.php/Norwalk_Havoc_Robot_League Norwalk Havoc Robot League] || Connecticut || Norwalk || USA || 3lb, 12lb, 30lb
|-
| [http://www.ohiorobotclub.com/ Ohio Robotics Club] || Ohio || Sandusky || USA || 150g, 1lb, 3lb, 6lb
|-
| [https://www.osubattlebots.org/ Oregon State Combat Robotics] || Oregon || Corvallis || USA || 150g, 1lb, 1lb-Plastic
|-
| [https://www.facebook.com/QueenslandRoboticsSportsClub Queensland Robotics Sports Club] || Queensland || - || AU || -
|-
| [https://events.robocore.net/ RoboCore] || Minas Gerais || Santa Rita do Sapucaí || BR || 150g, 1lb, 3lb, 30lb, 60lb
|-
| [https://www.facebook.com/RobodojoUK/ RoboDojo] || England || York || UK || 150g, 3lb, 12lb, 30lb
|-
| [http://www.robotbattles.com/ Robot Battles] || Georgia || Atlanta || USA || 1lb, 3lb, 12lb, 30lb
|-
| [https://www.makemia.com/robot-riot Robot Riot] || Florida || West Palm Beach || USA || 150g, 1lb, 3lb
|-
| [https://robotruckus.org/ Robot Ruckus] || Florida || Orlando || USA || 150g, 1lb, 3lb, 15lb, 30lb, 220lb-Sportsman
|-
| [http://www.robowars.org/ Robowars Australia] || Queensland || Brisbane || AU || 30lb
|-
| [https://kilobots.com/ Saskatoon Combat Robotics Club] || Saskatchewan || Saskatoon || CA || 150g, 1lb, 3lb
|-
| [https://www.facebook.com/groups/smashbotz Smashbotz] || California || Los Angeles || USA || 150g, 1lb, 3lb
|-
| [https://www.facebook.com/groups/640098953444052 Southern California Attack Robotics] || California || Walnut || USA || 150g, 1lb, 3lb, 12lb, 15lb
|-
| [https://texasrobotcombat.com/ Texas Robot Combat] || Texas || Dallas || USA || 150g, 1lb, 3lb
|-
| [https://www.utahcombatrobotics.com/ Utah Combat Robotics] || Utah || Salt Lake City || USA || 1lb, 3lb
|-
| [https://westernalliedrobotics.com Western Allied Robotics] || Washington || Seattle || USA || 150g, 1lb, 1lb-Plastic, 3lb, 12lb, 30lb-Sportsman
|}

==Past Event Pages==
These events are no longer active
* [https://robogames.net Robogames]