Stainless Steel for a non -combat robot?

Didn't notice the pics at the bottom of your first post until now. Looking at the design I think your best option would be to use some PVC piping as used by the guys that dig up our streets (someone mentioned it earlier). It comes in various sizes and its the kind of thing you can find just lying around the streets *thinks back to a uni project requiring some* :roll:

It would fit nicely into the design and would happily take the dents. It won't be nice and shiny but then again you can always throw your original piece of ali over the top.

Pvc piping would do. But polypropylene gas piping is a lot lot tougher.

hey mate is that under 13.6kg or 100kg because if it is i think if you were to fight with it i would suggest trying to put
protection on the tracks as they look really exposed



and if you do, do what shanes says, slap on a flipper and join em (i will when i get enough money which im thinking of
taking a paper round which should get me about £20 a week for parts of the featherweight my family want to build
which is essentially cassius jnr from rexe's robot challenge which will be painted which i hope is dark green) :P

It would be the heavyweight class - under 100kg.

I'm adding more pulleys to the tracks to increase tension and increase the ability to climb over stuff. I've turned them on a lathe, and now I just need the axles to arrive so I can fit them. I'll then add 2mm aluminium armour over the tracks. Hang on - for a search and rescue robot, armour isn't the right word...

I've put in an order for some 1.2mm steel - I'll keep you updated with my progress.

Andrew

Update:

I bought the steel sheet, and bent it into shape. It looks great - under the protective plastic is really great (undented) brushed steel. I'll attach some photos ASAP. It makes a great ringing sound if you hit it, rather than the aluminium's thud.

I bought a 20x20x2mm square section steel bar to mount along the front (on the inside), but I then found the chains are in the way. This means that the reinforcing bar will have to be mounted on the outside - this is not a problem, as it will increase the protection for the steel sheet, and transfer more of the energy into the polycarbonate sides.

However, this robot has to look good (obviously :proud: ). The new brushed stainless steel looks fantastic, and I don't want to spoil it by adding the black and tarnished steel bar onto the front. The 2cm bar looks a bit out of place, so I am planning to use a 1cm square (solid) stainless steel bar. This will look better, more appropriate, and will give enough protection. I'm only trying to stop dents caused by pushing objects (eg bins) at slow speeds - this isn't a fighting robot!

My DT teacher says he thinks the steel sheet is strong enough on its own, but I think a 1cm solid bar wouldn't hurt.

Any thoughts?

Andrew

for this purpose 2mm will stand up to the abuse