Altium Empowers BattleBot Design and Scalability: A Case Study

Ricky Willems is an electrical engineer who grew up watching the popular show “BattleBots”. Inspired by the show, he started building his own robots at an early age with the goal of competing on the show. Ricky has worked for multiple companies over the years, including Stanley Black & Decker and RPM Tech, where he relied on Altium Designer for various projects. His passion for robot design led him to create the “Mammoth”, the biggest robot ever featured on “BattleBots”. Ricky's design dominated competitions in Florida, drawing the attention of fans and the producers of “BattleBots”.

Ricky Willems, an electrical engineer and a fan of the popular show “BattleBots”, was inspired to build his own robots with the goal of competing on the show. The challenge was to create a mechanical warrior that could compete in the show, which required custom hardware, electronics, and a team of up to eight people to operate the bots. The design process was complex, involving the creation of a 6’4”, 250 lb flame-throwing robot capable of catapulting another robot across a ring. The design also needed to be scalable, as the robots needed to prove their worth on smaller stages before moving to prime time. The design process was further complicated by the need for the robot to withstand damage while putting out staggering horsepower in a package that was as light and small as possible.

Altium Designer was the solution to Ricky's design challenges. Ricky had been familiar with Altium Designer from his previous jobs, including Stanley Black & Decker and RPM Tech, and it had been the standard software in every job he had. Altium Designer simplified the design process, eliminating the need to learn a new platform. It also played a critical role in the scalability of the robot design. Ricky was able to scale up his original 12 lb robot into a 250 lb behemoth, designing and fabricating the key electrical components required for his design. Altium Designer also helped in designing the electronics to withstand damage while putting out staggering horsepower in a package that was as light and small as possible. The software also facilitated the design of the latest iteration of the Mammoth, which had eight times more horsepower in each wheel and four times the power in its weapon.

• Altium Designer has not only simplified Ricky's design process but also empowered each design improvement. The software has helped Ricky transform his childhood dreams into reality, enabling him to compete on “BattleBots” with the biggest robot ever featured on the show. The scalability feature of Altium Designer has allowed Ricky to move from regional victories to prime time glory. Moreover, the software has facilitated the design of the electronics to withstand damage while putting out staggering horsepower in a package that was as light and small as possible. With Altium Designer, Ricky and his team are not just building robots, but also excitement.

• Ricky was able to scale up his original 12 lb robot into a 250 lb behemoth.

• The latest iteration of the Mammoth has eight times more horsepower in each wheel, and four times the power in its weapon.

• Altium Designer has been the standard software in every job Ricky has had, indicating its widespread industry acceptance.