Skoobot

I have 4 robots finished. 2 go reasonably straight, 2 do not. One motor glitches in each, lots of glitches in the 2 that curve around. It seems soldering with low temp solder at 200C makes a good motor. Motors soldered at 350C can't be fixed, only replaced. Doesn't take too long but is tedious.

My explanation that could be totally wrong. Flux removes oxidation from metal (the barrier to metal in solder). Flux binds with oxygen on metal and carries it away. But higher temps increases the oxidation in metal. Flux also coats the site, preventing atmospheric oxygen from binding.

Its actually crazy complex. Flux is 4 categories of chemicals, activator, vehicle, solvent and additives. Rosin itself, has organic acids for activators and vehicles that carry the bound oxygen away.

I don't know the metal of the magnet wire, or the metal of the pin of the motor. Different percentages of metals, and their porosity come into play pretty drastically, plus impurities present from where they are mined. With low temp solder, I introduced silver.

Crazy complicated, with metallurgy and chemistry. It can be understood, but is a deep subject.

So new features are:

1. New shell design
2. Velcro to hold body on
3. Battery with PCM (Printed Circuit Module, i.e. undervoltage, short and overcharge shutoff)
4. Upgraded battery from 50mAh to 60mAh
5. Much better QA and testing
6. Companion board works great, automatic switching between UART and Programming modes
7. Professionally glued wheels by Rob Black, wheel gluer extraordinaire

People said they like following the project, so maybe I will keep posting logs. The next contest is robotic module. I don't see how I could be a module. Maybe enable a swarm? Like Skoobot robots are the hardware modules for a swarm system?

I don't think it makes sense to post here anymore. If followers still want to follow, here is a Google+ link I will be updating for Skoobot: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+BillWeilerAll

I wasn't one of the 20 winners.

Looking at the labels on the package from Shenzhen, I try to do some detective work. Who handled the package, and where? Who did customs and taxes? There is some funny US company, DFS Super Store, that sent the US part of the delivery. They arrived at Los Angles Airport by Cathay Airlines (never heard of them). There is also a WTC Logistics company. It says 174 pieces, likely the larger container my shipment was part of, before they broke my stuff out.

Here is my link to all the photos and videos I took: https://plus.google.com/u/0/collection/YnHjZE

Here is a photo of my table. I entered best of show but got my butt kicked.