MinuteBot Base – The Technic Baseplate

If you’ve ever wondered why there isn’t a baseplate for Technic structures, you’re not alone. They’re useful especially for stationary robots, including but not limited to brick sorters or scientific set ups. Two Danes (of course) came up with the idea to design and manufacture such Technic Baseplate. Their project, Minute Bot Base, is currently running on Kickstarter to raise funding.

Here’s how kickstarter funding works

Kickstarter is a way for entrepreneurs to raise initial funding for their business.  For this particular project, the designers need to have a specialized plastic mould specially manufactured for them — which is very expensive. On the other hand, once up and running, the production cost per plate is relatively low. This means that if they know upfront that enough baseplates will be sold, the price per product can be kept low. So, if enough people pre-order the product, production can start.

You pre-order the baseplate by making a pledge to the project. This means you support the business, allowing them to purchase the expensive mold and start making baseplates. In return for your support, you get one of the produced baseplates. Note that you only pay once production really starts, so there is no risk for you as the buyer. If funding doesn’t succeed, the project fails, but no money changes hands.

In short — To get one of those base plates, pledge (pre-order) to the project here, and you only pay if production starts (and you get the product).

Now, let’s have a look at the spec’s

The plate is 21 x 30 Technic holes in size. It’s made from ABS plastic, the same material used in regular LEGO elements. It’s essentially just that, but consider what cool applications you can build with it. I think it’s a great idea, anyway. But great ideas can be improved further. That’s why I wrote to the designers with some suggestions.

Suggested ideas for improvement

#1 Cross holes
Round holes are good for many applications, but sometimes you need cross holes for fixed axle orientation. I’ve suggested to have a +ooo+ooo+ configuration. See the full suggested configuration below.

[sourcecode language=”cpp” wraplines=”false” collapse=”false”]
+ o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
+ o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
+ o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
+ o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
+ o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
+ o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o o o + o
[/sourcecode]

#2 Beam holes
Another alternative for holes is a square one through which you can put a Technic beam. Some of the newer Technic parts like small turntable have this too. Here’s a simple sketch. When you can stick beams through the plate, you can securely suspend pieces on the bottom side of the plate. This is useful if you position the plate above something, such as above a scientific experiment.

#4 Colors
We all love colors, but not every color is great for every purpose. I vote for two color options, and one neutral (gray or black).

What do you think of these suggestions? Don’t forget to make a pledge if you’d like to have one of these base plates. I haven’t yet made a pledge but I will once I get access to a credit card. (Credit cards are not commonly used in many European countries)