A Comparative Analysis of Systems for Single-Tile Chess Piece Capture Mechanisms

This research addresses the inefficiency of piece captures in automated chess, where current systems typically use the same mechanism for both standard movement and piece capture, resulting in significantly increased time, energy, and calculation. This study aims to offer a faster alternative by presenting and analysing two novel piece capture mechanisms intended to be integrated into existing automated chessboards. The proposed system is designed to fit under each tile and function as a trapdoor, opening to allow a captured piece to fall into the chessboard’s interior while a separate mechanism moves the capturing piece.
Two designs were developed: the coupler-tile and the follower-tile model. They both utilise a combination of four-bar linkages and cam & follower systems to achieve a controlled lift and tilt. The 3D CAD models were created in Autodesk’s Fusion v.2604. They were simulated and analysed using Rigid Body Dynamics simulations in ANSYS to evaluate displacement, velocity, acceleration, and joint forces over a 3-second motion. The quantitative analysis confirmed that both designs achieved the intended smooth, non-colliding motion. The follower-tile design was found to be simpler and offer greater mobility, whereas the coupler-tile design, being more complex, showed lower overall forces on its joints, suggesting improved longevity. However, it is noted that these simulations were conducted under idealized conditions, assuming rigid bodies, negligible friction, and constant input speeds. Crucially, the simulation data confirms that the dynamic loads remain well within the capacity of standard manufacturing materials. By rigorously validating kinematic performance and feasibility through the quantitative analysis of both models in a physics-based simulation environment, this study establishes a robust engineering framework. Consequently, the designs serve as simulation-based proofs of concept with hardware validation left to future work.