The Ulti-BotBot

cults3d

The Ultimate BotBot is a game-changing submission by XYZ Workshop that took home 6th place in a high-stakes 3D Toy Design Competition organized by GrabCAD and the innovative makers at Ultimaker. This cutting-edge robot features incredibly articulated arms, body, and tank track made from flexible PLA, setting it apart from the competition. Most notably, it boasts an impressive chocolate cannon launcher that's sure to capture attention. The Ultimate BotBot is a submission by XYZ Workshop that won 6th place in a 3D Toy Design Competition organized by GrabCAD and Ultimaker. Check out the competition results at http://grabcad.com/challenges/ultimaker-3d-printer-toy-design-challenge/results See the robot in action: https://vimeo.com/67641975 We set out to push the limits of what's possible with the Ultimaker 3D printer, and we wanted to design something that was heavily articulated and far from a static toy. Our creative journey began while watching the Octonauts cartoon with our son, which sparked an idea for a robot tank with articulated arms that could pick up objects and collect them on its back. It would then dispense those objects through a rear hatch in a fun and playful way. Initially, we conceived of the robot as a device to pick up purposefully designed 3D printed objects. However, it quickly dawned on us that it would be more exciting – and less hazardous – if the robot picked up chocolate snacks instead. Maltesers came to mind first as the perfect object to use due to their resemblance to mini cannon balls. But upon testing, we found they were not the right scale or proportion for our design. We then conducted a series of rigorous tests and experiments with different types of chocolate confectionery. Our extensive research led us to conclude that using something smaller, such as M&Ms, Skittles, or Smarties, would be more suitable. The best part was that no one went hungry during those late-night experimentation sessions! As the design evolved, we thought, "What if it could shoot out chocolate confectionery from its very own cannon?" We then designed a functional chocolate cannon using the spring from an ordinary pen. Forget all the negative press about people building their own 3D printed guns. Why not build your own 3D printed chocolate cannon? This is chocolate warfare about to reach new heights! The Ultimate BotBot measures approximately 126mm wide, 104mm deep, and 155mm in height (excluding the cannon and arms). It consists of a total of 37 assembled parts – excluding the Ultimaker figure and spring. We printed it using a combination of flexible black Ultimaker PLA, silver, and yellow Ultimaker PLA.