UK Kilobots - 1.362kg (3 lbs) Combat Robots

[harry hills]

Hi, As some people already know we have decided to start up a 1kg weight class. This will be open to robots from 0g-1000g. The FRA does not currently have any rules for robots of this weight class so we are going to follow the featherweight and above rules, This means all robots will need a removeable link, a power light, sharp edge protection, a cradle, a locking device on all weapons and robots must failsafe. Robots will need to be tech checked before the are allowed to battle. Robots with spinning weapons will be tech checked on the bench as usual but the spinning weapon will be tested in a secure arena.

[jonny]

That was before beetle weights were written into the build rules.

[harry hills]

really? that seems pretty stuipid to me.

[jonny]

The requirement of a link on a 3lb robot seems pretty stupid to me.

[harry hills]

meh.
i feel really stupid, i cant find the 2012 build rules

[Pugster2002]

Some won cut the a arial of my robot so it don't work

[Leonardomayo]

...There are new build rules for 2012?

And that sucks Pugster, i'm sure you'll fix it, though.

[Bodge Job]

I can completely understand the need of a link, from what I've seen there is done seriously powerful robots out there (like 180 and , or how ever it's spelt,) and with such short spin up times and the fact Id have though it could go straight though flesh and bone, I wouldn't go to an event with out every one having links. Even Rambots could drive of a table and break someone's foot.

[jonny]

Bws were written into the 2011 build rules, and it does not say that bw require links. IMO the need for all robots to have a link is ridiculous due to the Low power of the majority of beetle weights. They're a tenth of the weight of featherweights, it would have to be a pretty powerful Rambot to be able to break your foot. As regards to spinners having links that's a whole different matter.

[RogueTwoRobots]

The requirement of a link on a 3lb robot seems pretty stupid to me.

I disagree. As long as the measure is not incredibly over the top, then nothing's stupid when it comes to dealing with safety. Not just for spinners either. My BW servo-flipper has the battery pack under the lifting arm and if I was to power up the robot just by plugging the battery pack in, I would have to lift the flipper arm. This means that the flipper could potentially close in on my fingers when I power up, and considering the servo has 20kg/cm torque, it wouldn't be a painless experience.
Having done a spin-up test with the spinner I half-made, I wouldn't want to have to reach in and try to unplug a fiddly battery connection if for some reason it went out of control. Much quicker to grab and pull a link that isn't in the line of finger-slicing.

Although the beetle class was added to the rules, I'm not sure if the link and power light sections were updated to accommodate beetleweights. But as far as I'm concerned, links, power lights and failsafes are a requirement, as per the first post in this thread.