Hobbyweight Armor Retention Pins
To retain the armor on Iteration and Swole for March 2023 NHRL I will be using aluminum spacers with circlip slots cut into them. These aluminum spacers will constrain the TPU side armor by utilizing a clearance hole in the top and bottom panel. Most of the forces from an impact should be passed from the side armor into the top or bottom panel. Very little force should transmitted to the actual circlip.
Failure Modes
- Top and bottom panel crack or break near the retention pin. One side of the armor is no longer constrained, adds to the risk of getting stuck on the arena.
- One of the panels crack or break, but not both. The armor should stay in place in this case, not to big of a deal.
- Circlip Pulls through top or bottom panel. Similar scenario to cracked or broke panels, but less likely to result in a full failure.
- Single Circlip comes out. This would allow the pin to potentially slide out of the armor, may come out entirely or partially. A partial could high-center the robot.
- Both Circlips come out. Higher likeliness of retention pin falling out.
- Retention pin gets bent. Armor should still be held in place, but may be at a weird angle, could get high centered or stuck on it.
- Retention pin gets cut in half. Similar scenario to circlips getting removed, may or may not fall out due to being wedged into TPU armor.
