Motors and gears for a tank thread..

[Dragonbots]

Hey there everyone. My high school just started a robotics team; hence, we're a true rookie team. I'm the president of my team and I'm just trying to get opinions on what you guys think is the best way to go about things..

If we want to have a tank thread that is used to collect items (balls and barrels), how can we place the motors/ gears to lift the threads and dump out the items (VEX). Sounds like a total noob question but I'd appreciate any help!

Thanks in advance!

[Andrew Lawrence]

Originally Posted by Dragonbots

Hey there everyone. My high school just started a robotics team; hence, we're a true rookie team. I'm the president of my team and I'm just trying to get opinions on what you guys think is the best way to go about things..

If we want to have a tank thread that is used to collect items (balls and barrels), how can we place the motors/ gears to lift the threads and dump out the items (VEX). Sounds like a total noob question but I'd appreciate any help!

Thanks in advance!

Look up robots from the 2009 game, Lunacy. This was what almost every robot had for the game. IDK how to make them myself, but teams from that era would know.

EDIT: WELCOME TO FIRST!!!!

[connor.worley]

Sounds like a question for the VEX forums.

[EricH]

I don't think so, Connor. What I'm seeing is that they want to use a belting collection method, similar to using a VEX tank tread pair, to scoop stuff up. Specifically, they're looking for ways to mount motors.

FRC robots from 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2011 are good examples of FRC robots with a belting pickup method. 2006 and 2009 were designed to scoop up balls from the floor. 2007 and 2011 had a specific type of grabber, the roller claw. (There was also one or more in 2008--team 1114.) Team 148 has posted their CAD from at least a couple of those years; there are also going to be a number of pictures in CD-Media (have fun searching that, BTW--there are a lot of pictures).

Just out of curiosity, do you guys have a mentoring team?

[Dragonbots]

Eric,

Yup I was wondering how to mount it more than anything. Thank you so much! I'll look into their models. Haha yea the CD-media section seems 'exciting'.

We don't have an official mentoring team; though, we do have one engineer from the Navy assisting us. I've also been contacting a few universities who might be willing to mentor us during the FIRST season.

Connor, thanks!!

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Dragonbots

We don't have an official mentoring team; though, we do have one engineer from the Navy assisting us. I've also been contacting a few universities who might be willing to mentor us during the FIRST season.

You're in L.A. You might do well to contact some of the veteran Los Angeles teams to serve as a mentor team for you--kind of show you the ropes, or exactly what you're getting into. (Trust me, there are quite a few that will be willing to work with you--I was on one of the mentoring teams in the Beach Cities/South Bay area in high school.)

[Dragonbots]

I hadn't thought about veteran teams in the area helping out. From your experience, were the vets willing to put in the time away from their project? Also, do you by any chance know any vet teams in LA?

[Dragonbots]

Andrew, thanks I just looked into the Lunacy =]

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Dragonbots

I hadn't thought about veteran teams in the area helping out. From your experience, were the vets willing to put in the time away from their project? Also, do you by any chance know any vet teams in LA?

Yep, they're often willing. As for knowing veteran teams in LA... I graduated from one of the three oldest teams in the area, 330, in Hermosa Beach (rookie year 1997, as one team with 294 and 207--the three teams became three separate teams in 1998).

Off the top of my head, 1138 would be a good choice to ask (Chaminade College Preparatory School); I might be able to sneak up for a couple of days around Kickoff (I go to college in South Dakota, but Christmas break runs a couple days past Kickoff).

Some other teams: 330, 294 (from the Beach Cities), 597 (Foshay Learning Center, near Exposition Park), 980 (Pasadena area), 2404, 4; there may be a few others that are closer (I'm not terribly familiar with teams in your area--yes, I did look up your school's location.)

You could also go to the FIRST website, click on the box that says "What FIRST Events and Teams are in my area" (right side, top), and do a search for FRC teams from California. Look through the list to find nearby teams--any team with a number lower than 3900 has at least one year of experience. Whether or not they can help is something that they can decide better than I can.

I might also get in touch with the "local teams organization"--I forget the name right now, but I can find out. Essentially, it's a bunch of FIRST teams that put on events like the Preship Scrimmage, the Fall Classic, and the Fall Workshops. They should be able to help you locate a mentor team.

[Dragonbots]

Eric, you are incredible! I just have to find a way to get in contact with some of the teams you mentioned.

Thank you so much! Let's keep contact through email.