Blastwave III

1lb Drum Spinner (2022)

For an overview of Blastwave as a design, please go here

Blastwave III Thumbnail

Watch the build video here!

Overview

Blastwave III was designed between late 2021 and early 2022 to eliminate the primary issue that plagued Blastwave I and Blastwave II: the motors (though in 2024 I would now argue that the lids were a bigger problem). The N20_Gearmotor used in the first two iterations would be swapped out for the 20mm_gearmotor used in Stomp_Bot. These motors had proven their reliability over two separate events. This upgrade would require moving from each wheel being driven by independent motors, to one motor per side. This necessitated a custom hub design.

The hubs are based off the Fingertech_Hubs, specifically the older snap-ring hub variant. However, the hubs are wider than the Fingertech hubs due to needing to accomodate a pulley to power all 4 wheels. Keeping the number of wheels at 4 was a priority, as it is a distinguishing feature of Blastwave, and moving to 2 wheels would feel like a different robot, and I didn't want to keep using the same lineage.

Blastwave III Hubs

(The final hub design next to a prototype, attempting to adhere a pulley to a Fingertech Hub)

This version would be finished in summer 2022, with the intention of attending two competitions that summer. The first competition had to be dropped out of due to issues with getting the robot finished in time, and the second had to be dropped out of due to car trouble. This robot would never compete, as Blastwave IV was designed fall 2024.

Improvements over Blastwave II:

  • Bigger Chassis Size
  • Shoulder Screw Weapon Axle
  • Thrust Bearings to reduce friction in weapon assembly
  • Tuned ESC to achieve greater startup power

Fights

  • Nobody

Flaws

  • I already know the plastic lids are non-ideal
  • Only one wheel per side is driven
  • Wheel hubs have a weak point where the hub is turned down for a pulley

Parts List

  • 20mm_gearmotor (gear ratio lol)
  • Fingertech_Power_Switch
  • Generic_5A_Dual_ESC
  • Lemon-RX_Receiver
  • Turnigy_Multistar_Viking_4100KV
  • BL_HELI_ESC (20A)
  • Lipo_Battery (2s 120mAh)
  • Fingertech_wheels
Click here to view Blastwave IV