For their final year, the senior team of 2026 has been attempting to build their most ambitious robot to date. “Quack” is an upscaled version of the 1lb robot “Electroluminescent” which has configurable weapons to obtain a favorable matchup against any opponent. This style of robot has proven itself to be highly effective, and thus was scaled into the 30lb.
1lb Modular Robot Electroluminescent
Quack’s final design contains many technologies developed from the senior team’s previous robots, Crack and Whack. The drivetrain is adapted from Whack with Badass 2820s powering Repeat magnums for a robust controllable dive. #20 chains are used in place of belts to prevent the tooth stripping issue seen in initial versions of Whack. The electronics are adapted from Whack as well, featuring a large 4500mah 8s battery for thermal efficiency. To create a strong yet light frame, a rail and gusset system was used to connect all frame members. Carbon fiber panels span the entire robot to increase the stiffness of the overall system. Lastly, super thick UHMW and TPU armor surrounds the entire robot to shield from impacts.
The assembled version of the latest robot from “Freshman Combots”: quack.
4 Separate weapon modules were developed to counter various styles of robots. The first, and primary weapon is the reach vert. Inspired by Emulsifier and refined through over a hundred 1lb fights, it features a 4lb 12inch disk which spins at over 250mph for huge impacts. It is powered by a castle 1717 taken from Crack, and uses a 3-1 gearbox followed by a 3-1 reduction for rapid spinups.
A model of the reach vert module.
The second weapon is the anti-drum configuration. This setup is a modification of the big vert, but with a smaller, sturdier weapon. This allows us to spin it at incredible speeds to win weapon on weapon collisions while mitigating gyro. The eventual goal is to split every beater bar we fight with.
A model of the anti-drum module.
The anti-horizontal beater bar is designed to deflect and counter horizontal spinners. It uses an especially wide weapon and a reinforced shaft to maximize the chances of success. In addition, the entire wedge is made from ar600, allowing it to be as light as possible. It is powered with a castle 1717 which enables a tip speed of over 250mph.
A model of the beater bar module.
The final module is the over/undercutter. It uses a custom live shaft and bevel gear system to spin a 16 inch blade at over 200mph. The intended strategy is to run both it and the reach vert simultaneously, then choose the module that is most suitable for the opponent just before the match.
A model of the over/undercutter module.
Quack is currently set to compete at February NHRL 2026.
