How to Assemble M1 Mini Sumo Robot?

In this article, we will assemble M1 mini sumo robot kit together. This robot model is very popular amongst beginner to moderate robot makers with versatility. Based on Arduino nano platform it is highly developable. But before development we need to assemble 🙂 In that article you will find all tips and tricks of M1 assembly and development.

For assembling we usually prefer assembling from bottom to top. So first we will attach motors to bottom base. I will solder motor terminals with black & red cables.

For attaching I will use 2 motor brackets and fit motors vertical.

Now we are placing small M2 Nuts to motor bracket’s nut holes.

We will use M2 15mm screws. Do not overtighten and make balanced tightening at both side of brackets.

Please be careful to place brackets same as this picture, above.

After attaching motors to robot body. We will put QTR1A Line sensors to bottom side of chassis. For this we will cut female jumper pns from one side and solder to the pads. For soldering you don’t need to pass thorugh hole. Just add little solder to both pad and cable. And use tip of soldering tool to piece together.

Line sensor soldered. Your soldering also needs to be clear like that.

And for attaching sensor boards to bottom, we are using double sided tapes. As metal surface and sensor backside is flat this double sided tapes hold sensor very strong.

Ater that, we will contiune robot assembly by attaching MR45 sensors with 20mm length M3 screws (6 Pieces) and 5 Standoffs (20mm Length Models).

One small important thing is here, we are attaching sensor screws from bottom, because standoff nuts and sensor holes are very near. For minimizing touch of both parts we reverse place sensor screws.

M3 20mm screws (5 pieces) and M3 nuts are used to connect sensor to body.

Five piece standoff (20mm length) connected with M3 nuts from bottom.

Screwing from bottom.

When sensor and standoff assembly finished, we are attaching SLT20 wheels to robot body. For this purporse we will use allen wrench. This screwing hole should face to motors shafts flat side (Motor shafts are D like section not circular).

Please do not use too much force for tightening.

For alignment, please use some flat thing like ruler. Wheel rim shouldn’t go out of chassis.

Left to right, It shouldn’t be more than 10cm.

After attaching wheel rims and controling dimensions. You can put silicones of wheels.

Now we can go to top plate. This is little thinner body part which attached to bottom plate and also attachs the Genesis Robot Controller.

Before assembling both plates first we need to screw small standoffs to top plate. I am using 4 short standoffs (8mm). Again this standoffs will be placed reverse for making clearence to wheels from bottom.

In that stage, we are using M3 countersunk screws, as their diameter is smaller than normal panhead screws.

4 piece standoff placed firmly.

Now we will assemble both plates.

For this assembly please also add your lipo battery to middle part and close with top plate. Sensor cables can go thorugh front spaces of top plate and motor cables should pass from back middle space.

We will use 5 piece of M3 panhead 8mm screw.

Please try to pass sensor cables front spaces. Same as picture above.

After that you can screw your Genesis Mainboard with M3 nuts too.

Now we can pass to crimping. This will require little hand skill with miniature pliers.

Now we can connect our motors and power cables to Genesis Mainboard.

We are cutting motor cables to make more tidy fit. After that strip motor cable conductives from 7-8mm.

And we are attaching left & right motors to terminals. Now we don’t know which direction motors will turn true. But we will use trial & error method. If robot is going backwards except forward. I will reverse motor cables. (For this purpose we will upload 1st only forward movement code).

Here the table for attaching sensors to Genesis Mainboard, we are using 5 inputs of total 8 free inputs.

After looking this table, you may think about why all of them is connected to analog pins.

Actually we are only using line sensors as analog and opponents sensors are read digital. With declaring A2, A3, A4 ad digital input we can use them as same as digital pin of Arduino. Excep A6 and A7 all analog pins can be used as digital I/O too.

Genesis I/O Terminal. All left pins are ground (0V) all middle line is 5V and all right lines are signal inputs or outputs (depending on your coding)

While placing sensor cables to male headers, spece will be very tight. Our suggestion is start attaching pins from outside to inside. So 1st connect Ground pins, later positive supply pins and later signal pin of sensor. One by one.

Use plastic tie wrap for organising cables.

For battery to Genesis mainboard power connection we are using JST connectors. They are polarized plugs, which eliminare reverse attachments.

If all assembly is ready now we can attach power to robot.

If you have power supply I suggest first attaching power from it not battery. Because if you soldered or attached something wrong. Power supply can limit the current and you can protect your circuit. If you don’t have now please check your all connections again. And be careful to polarity of battery.

When you apply power, Genesis’s Power light should light on. Well done! Board can work from 7V to 28V. In that robot we are using 2 cell LiPo battery (total 8.4 Volts).

Lastly… 🙂 We are attaching front blade. This thin mini sumo robot blade has tape at backside, remove it and place to front incline at flat surface. Please be careful as this blade is very sharp. (You may make some protective cover from thick papers)

Now you can attach your Arduino Nano to computer and program first forward code to robot, below. This code will continously drive motors forward.

In some computers, Arduino nano controller is not recognised when attached to Genesis. If this happens please remove Arduino nano from board, program it and again attach to mainboard.

After uploading this code, both motors should turn forward. If one of them or both turns backward we will simply reverse motor cables.

And here is the full mini sumo robot code below:

So, What this robot code does?

The code above is mini sumo robot code for 3 opponent sensor (we attached MR45s) and 2 line sensor (QTR1As). First we declare every input, output with special names.And in setup function, we declare this names (dedlared as Arduino Pin numbers) if they are input or output.

Also in the code you will see some special function written as Set_Motor. Normally for controlling speed and direction of DC motors we are using 2 digital pin for every motor. (1 for PWM speed Control, 1 for Direction Control). With that Set_Motor function we are controlling motors more clearly.

For instance when I write Set_Motor(100,100,50); That means Left and Right Motor Speed %100 (Actually 250/255) speed forward for 50 milliseconds (0.05 Second, very short duration). If I write Set_Motor(-30,80,700) means left motor %30 backward, right motor %80 forward for nect 700 milliseconds (0.7 Second). Simple 🙂

Now if we come to main loop, first it waits until button is pressed or start module is triggered (Both option gives logic 1). So while receiving digital 0 we stop motors and also at sametime inside loop, we control sensors with if statement.

When button is pushed or start module triggered it jumps to dipswitch tactics. At Genesis mainboard we are using 3 position red dipswitch for choosing tactics. If you are not certain bout where is tactics, I am pasting below.

Additional Informations

How to Change Opponent Sensor Sensing Distance?

You can change the detection distance of robot sensor with this small trimpot head. Place some object to front of sensor and slowly dial, when it sees, red light will turn on. Increade object distance until red light turn off.

How to clean wheel surfaces?

We are using standart alcohol based cleaners like cologne. Clean wheels dramatically change robot’s performance to better so always use cleaners after every match.

Where can I order M1 Mini Sumo Robot Kit?

We have ready stocks in our JSumo Shop:
https://www.jsumo.com/m1-arduino-mini-sumo-robot-kit-unassembled

Additional Links

Minisumo Tutorial for Genesis Arduino Mainboard

Manual for Genesis Ver.2 – The big Changes for Robot Makers.