Extreme Fighting Machines

The XFM Challenge Arena

> Towering almost 5m in the air the XFM Challenge Arena is a massive imposing structure. The base arena itself is fabricated out of interlocking steel sections with a running surface of 25mm MDF over the top.

It recently underwent a test-build before the Cambridge event to ensure that everything goes together correctly and smoothly, and to start programming the lighting and effects.

The arena base is designed to be set up within 30 mins, and the trussing structure over it doesn't take much longer. Its totally encased in Polycarbonate 'battlebox' style all the way up to 4m in height - ensuring that the arena can be used in venues with tiered seating without the worry of people not being able to see. Below you can see the arena with the trussing system raised just above half way up during test-build.

Surrounding that is a truss structure almost 5m high, built using four free-standing towers and a self climbing truss system meaning that the entire polycarbonate and rigging structure can be erected in less than 30 mins - whilst still capable of carrying several tonnes of lighting and polycarbonate screening.

Lighting XFM

In order to ensure that the full experience of XFM matched the shows potential, we turned to Martin Professional lighting to deliver a stunning lighting rig complete with moving lights, static colour changing heads, multiple smoke effects and although not provided by Martin - 2 high power lasers.

Arena Effects

No arena would be complete without it effects, and the XFM Challenge arena is no different. Of course we've got a pit - what arena would be complete without a pit, but with circular saws that rise up through the floor onto unsuspecting robots - this arena's certainly got some tricks up its sleeve.