Penn State Students Build Battle Bots for April Showdown

Students at Penn State are building fighting robots, and the whole community is invited to watch them battle it out this spring.

The Penn State chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers is hosting a combat robotics tournament on April 11, featuring 12 student teams from the University Park and Harrisburg campuses. The free event runs from noon to 3 p.m. on the Engineering Quad Lawn, with indoor backup space if weather doesn't cooperate.

The competition brings together students from seven different engineering clubs, including the Society of Women Engineers, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and the Wind Energy Club. Each team is designing, building, and testing their own custom robot from the ground up.

"This competition is more than just an engineering challenge," said George Kuney, president of Penn State's ASME chapter and a third-year mechanical engineering student. "It is a large-scale collaboration between College of Engineering clubs and organizations."

The tournament follows the format of televised shows like BattleBots, with head-to-head matches between machines designed for combat. Students handle every aspect of their robot's development, from choosing materials and designing mechanical systems to programming controls and running tests.

Second-year mechanical engineering student Landon Zimmerman proposed the tournament to build technical skills across disciplines. "PSU ASME Design team's mission is to build technical confidence with no experience required," he said.

The Ripple Effect

This competition is creating connections that reach far beyond the arena. Hundreds of students from different clubs and campuses who might never have crossed paths are now collaborating and learning from each other.

Local K-12 robotics programs are invited to attend, giving younger students a chance to see college engineering in action. The event gives participants real-world experience in systems integration, rapid prototyping, and iterative testing that mirrors professional engineering work.

The day includes a robot showcase with free pizza starting at noon, followed by an opening presentation and tournament matches from 1:10 to 2:45 p.m. Alumni, faculty, sponsors, and anyone curious about robotics can RSVP to attend.

The best part? These future engineers are proving that learning doesn't have to happen quietly in a classroom.