IKE
20-01-2013, 09:01
I was recently talking with some friends on another teams, and found out a tool that they were unaware of a tool that we use all the time on FRC33.
This is a photo-tachometer (http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Photo-Laser-Tachometer-Contact/dp/B000EUT9ZS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358689834&sr=8-1&keywords=phototacometer). This isn't the exact model we use (though ours is 10+ years old, so our model may not be around anymore). With this tool, you put a little refective tape on a spinning object, and it measures its RPM. This is extremely useful for prototypes in order to see how fast things are really spinning. For instance, just because you geared a wheel to a CIM at 2:1, doesn't mean it is spinning at 9,000 rpm. In fact, you could be down aroun 5,000. It is also very useful for doing diagnostics at Competition. Periodically checkign the free-speed of your shooter and/or drivetrain may help you know if you are having a mechanical problem with one of your systems before seeing an issue in a match.
This is a photo-tachometer (http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Photo-Laser-Tachometer-Contact/dp/B000EUT9ZS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358689834&sr=8-1&keywords=phototacometer). This isn't the exact model we use (though ours is 10+ years old, so our model may not be around anymore). With this tool, you put a little refective tape on a spinning object, and it measures its RPM. This is extremely useful for prototypes in order to see how fast things are really spinning. For instance, just because you geared a wheel to a CIM at 2:1, doesn't mean it is spinning at 9,000 rpm. In fact, you could be down aroun 5,000. It is also very useful for doing diagnostics at Competition. Periodically checkign the free-speed of your shooter and/or drivetrain may help you know if you are having a mechanical problem with one of your systems before seeing an issue in a match.