Clawbot I and Clawbot II - the design challenges

[Foster]

In another thread are comments about the new Clawbot kit and how it is soooooo unusable for Snack Attack.

So I’m going to offer up two, yes two, $100 prizes of VEX parts.

Clawbot Challenge I - Take the (soon to be) existing Clawbot kit and redesign it so it is game ready and competitive. You can use an additional $100 in parts to make your changes. Additional parts must be itemized in your entry.

Clawbot II - Design the Uber Clawbot. At least 1 claw. All claws must be recognizable as the VEX claw and be used in moving the bags. (So no ripping the claws apart and using them as support brackets for your rolling scoop). Any base, any drive train, but points awarded for the best use of the claws. Multiple Claws will score higher, but they need to be able to score or assist in scoring. So a hex base with 8 claws, the Octo-claw, will be very cool, not sure how you will get the claws to open and close and move the bags with only 10 motors, but hey, you are the designer.

For both entries, beating the Poofs or Green Eggs or Vexmen is not the primary goal, the goal is to develop the best possible Clawbot.

Entries must contain:
– which contest you are entering (Clawbot I or Clawbot II)
– One or more of: CAD rendering, very nice mechanical drawing or picture of the robot you built (no back of a napkin scribbles).
– Description of the robot and how it operates
– Additional parts used (Clawbot I challenge limit of $100)

You may make multiple entries. Entries to be posted by 11:59PM on June 30th (Forum site posting time)

Ruling of the judges is capricious, arbitrary and of course final. Judges also reserve the right to award additional prizes to robot designs that are posted early that inspire other improved designs.

Prize notification will be made in this thread by 4 July. Winners will be able to pick any combination of VEX parts that is less than or equal to $100.

VEX, RECF, IFI or any of their sponsors or affiliated companies have nothing to do with this design challenge. It is meant to be a fun, early in the season design challenge. Complaints or issues should be directed to me via personal messages.

[The_VEX_Raptors]

20 claws!!

[Warrior5]

Doesn’t the New clawbot come out in August? How should one be made for June?

[The_VEX_Raptors]

@vexengineer98

Doesn’t the New clawbot come out in August? How should one be made for June?

All of the individual parts are available, and I believe the kit is downloadable in Autocad.

[murdomeek]

• 1
  thanks for doing this for the community!
  finally some new project to CADD!

btw does render quality effect the judges decision?
(not too good with these things)

[MarkO]

@The VEX Raptors

All of the individual parts are available, and I believe the kit is downloadable in Autocad.

Where??

I looked on the VEXCAD page, but only the Protobot is there, ( so far ).

[The_VEX_Raptors]

@MarkO

Where??

I looked on the VEXCAD page, but only the Protobot is there, ( so far ).

I don’t quite know, but my team mate downloaded it from somewhere.

To the OP:
For challenge 1, at what point has the robot ceased to be the “existing clawbot?”

[Disciple855]

Sounds interesting. I might just have to take a shot at challenge II…

I do have a question though. Although it’s never explicitly stated, I assume the robot for challenge II needs to be high school competition legal? So only 10 motors and it must start within 18"?

Also, is this challenge even open to college students such as myself? If it’s not, I can understand why. But figured I would ask.

Thanks!

[Foster]

For challenge 1, at what point has the robot ceased to be the “existing clawbot?”

Pretty much when you start adding parts. I guess a better way to have said it would have been "take the Clawbot parts and with no more than $100 of additional parts turn it into something competitive. " Comments were that the clawbot wasn’t competitive, but with some “additions” and “design changes” it would be. So Clawbot I is small additions ($100) and move the parts around to your hearts desire. Less additional parts is better, remember the initial price of the Clawbot is low.

Clawbot II is unlimited budget and design.

@Disciple855

I do have a question though. Although it’s never explicitly stated, I assume the robot for challenge II needs to be high school competition legal? So only 10 motors and it must start within 18"?

Yes, Middle school or high school legal. 18", < 11 motors, < 3 battery packs, 12x24 Lexan, etc. At least one VEX Claw. No flux-capacitors.

@Disciple855

Also, is this challenge even open to college students such as myself? If it’s not, I can understand why. But figured I would ask.

Sure, if you are eligible to be on a VEX team you can compete.

And my Karthik empathy numbers just climbed :rolleyes:

[Disciple855]

Alright, thanks

[jacko]

Looks very interesting

Might have a go at challenge 1, if i have enough time that is.

[tabor473]

@Foster

And my Karthik empathy numbers just climbed :rolleyes:

Understandable I get that same feeling everytime i see the same question for the fourth time.

[jpearman]

The difficulty with this challenge is that the starting point is not defined yet as VEX has not released details of exactly what is in the Clawbot kit.

So to address this issue I have created CAD based on the Clawbot in the sack attack manual. The illustration in the manual is as follows.

[ATTACH]6238[/ATTACH]

The CAD render of the design based on this looks as follows. Edit: Although I have the arm too long, I will fix that before release.

[ATTACH]6241[/ATTACH]

I will upload a link to an Inventor assembly and STEP files later this afternoon. Anyone who then wants to use this as a starting point for Foster’s challenge can modify as required.

The design is noticeably different from the current protobot but instead of using standard protobot parts I followed the manual illustration. The final Clawbot will I’m sure be different from this but without details we can only guess.

[jpearman]

Ok, here it is with the correct length arm, perhaps the first improvement might be to lengthen that again.

Link to the Autocad Inventor “Pack and Go” database.

Edit: I updated to a RevA version.
Some of the screws were incorrectly 6-32. Added another shaft collar so the claw would not fall apart and a couple more spacers. Removed one of my constraining parts. Doesn’t really change the model that much so if you already downloaded it I would ignore the update. Links below are updated.

https://www.box.com/shared/ea99e19a565fa74277dd

Link to a STEP file (have not checked this, may have lost colors etc.)

https://www.box.com/shared/0d632b3c80a70f8e665f

Render of final model.

This is not a competition entry (I’m not qualified) but is a suggested starting point for development.

[ATTACH]6244[/ATTACH]

[The_VEX_Raptors]

One thing I can’t tell from the pictures, and may be important:
Can the claw even reach the ground? I think it might have difficulty picking up a sack from the floor. And in that configuration, it looks like it won’t be able to descore.

Another thing I can’t tell; is the clawbot short enough to drive under the trough?

[jpearman]

@The VEX Raptors

One thing I can’t tell from the pictures, and may be important:
Can the claw even reach the ground? I think it might have difficulty picking up a sack from the floor. And in that configuration, it looks like it won’t be able to descore.

Another thing I can’t tell; is the clawbot short enough to drive under the trough?

First off, this is not the official Clawbot, it’s a simple robot based on the illustration in the sack attack manual that happens to have a claw, we don’t know exactly what the clawbot will look like and have to wait until August.

The claw does not reach the ground in this configuration, that’s probably the first modification.

The height is about 12 inches so it will fit under a trough.

These images will give you some sense of scale.

[ATTACH]6247[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]6253[/ATTACH]

[Vshek]

Quick question – the red Vexplorer claw is the same as the claw that will be used in the claw bot correct? The only difference being the color of the parts?

[jpearman]

@Vshek

Quick question – the red Vexplorer claw is the same as the claw that will be used in the claw bot correct? The only difference being the color of the parts?

As far as I can tell it’s identical, here’s the link to the wiki page.

[MarkO]

@jpearman

Ok, here it is with the correct length arm, perhaps the first improvement might be to lengthen that again.

Link to the Autocad Inventor “Pack and Go” database.

Box

Link to a STEP file (have not checked this, may have lost colors etc.)

[ a competition entry (I’m not qualified) but is a suggested starting point for development.

not](Box)

With Autodesk Inventor View 1.0, how do you Remove or Make Transparent a Part… The FieldTile keeps getting in the Way when trying to view the Bottom of the ClawBot®…[ATTACH]6259[/ATTACH]

[jpearman]

@MarkO

With Autodesk Inventor View 1.0, how do you Remove or Make Transparent a Part… The FieldTile keeps getting in the Way when trying to view the Bottom of the ClawBot®…[ATTACH]6259[/ATTACH]

Mark

I see no official way, however, go to the folder
\GrabberBotRevA\Workspaces\Workspace\Imported Components\ModifiedParts

and delete the FieldTile.ipt part. Then reopen the assembly and (although there will be some complaining) it will open without the field tile.

I notice some other problems using Inventor View, some of the material properties and colors have gone. Something (probably work axes) cause the home views to have the model very small. The folder hierarchy I had created for different aspects of the design has also been lost.

Why not get a full copy of Inventor?

Last year when I wanted a copy I had emailed Autodesk and explained that I was not a student or faculty member, their answer was as follows.

Thank you for contacting the Autodesk Education Community Support Team.

Your school is present in our database. Please register yourself as mentor and download the required products form our site. Please use the link below to register.

Autodesk Education Community Resources

Please feel free to email back if you have any additional problems.

Should you need additional assistance, feel free to reply directly to this email.

Best Regards,

Autodesk Education Community Support

So it seems that even as a mentor for a team you are entitled to an educational copy, I’m sure many teams would have you as an honoree mentor if that helps.

One final thing, Duran Duran !!