Spinners at Robot Wars/ Roaming Robots and Robots Live

**Danjr1** · 21st February 2013, 17:16

Evening,

I've been wondering if someone was able to prove at tech check that the tip speed of a weapon's spinning element could not exceed 500rpm, would they be able to use it at a traditionally non-spinner event?

cheers

dan

**Eventorizon** · 21st February 2013, 17:20

I have wondered that to. Something like a rotary flipper rather than a cutting disc.
E.g. a speed 900 geared down until it was doing say 250 rpm; lots of torque.

**kane** · 21st February 2013, 17:41

I don't think any event organiser without a secure roof on their arena would take the risk. Even a relately low speed spinner could throw a lot of shrapnel. As much as an audience love the action, they wouldn't like to be part of it!

**razerdave** · 4th March 2013, 14:26

Originally Posted by kane

I don't think any event organiser without a secure roof on their arena would take the risk. Even a relately low speed spinner could throw a lot of shrapnel. As much as an audience love the action, they wouldn't like to be part of it!

You say that, but both EO's now have a robot with a spinner running in their arenas (Matilda and now Goliath). I don't know what speeds they are doing but as you said, potential risk at any reasonable RPM.

**robotwars** · 4th March 2013, 20:40

Weve both done the same thing,

Both Added a disc to a house robot which we have built to a certain spec, which we are comfortable. Both discs are light / slow speed so there is no risk of shrapnel, just merely there for visual effect than damage.

**Eventorizon** · 4th March 2013, 20:50

Could competitors build spinners to those same specifications? Mass, speed, diameter?

Or the total of those as Force in Newtons?

[You can get that from the rotational moment of inertia, combined with the speed and max diameter cant you?]

**robotwars** · 4th March 2013, 21:12

Not for me, we do it because its our show, house robots aren't built to rules just like the old days.

We are both very experienced engineers and we know what we can and cant achieve in a safe mannor.
its ok allowing someone to build something but if something fails its our heads on the line.

I want to be in complete control of whats happening in my arena.

John

**Eventorizon** · 5th March 2013, 08:08

Yeah, I can understand that!

With the new Robotwars taking shape, are their any plans to up-spec the arena. Be it this year or 5 years down the line?

**robotwars** · 5th March 2013, 08:24

The answer is yes, there are plans and designs in place for an upgrade to get spinners back in the future, its what we all want, but the only real way that happens is if its being filmed for TV.

John
Robot Wars