Any good ideas for a crate?

[RyanJK]

Well, I'm starting to read about crates, and my team just doesn't know where to go! We were thinking about just making a standard crate, but then we saw some awesome designs that could fold open and then be your workshop at the competition. On top of that, any good ideas on how to protect your robot in the crate or mount tools so that they stay in place? If anyone could please just tell us what worked for you, any pictures would be great! Thanks!

[AdamC]

I'll try to get some snaps of or new tool system. We found a company that was willing to give us a 20'x4' roll of two-part foam (conveniently in red and black) for a steep discount because it had been damaged. The stuff is amazing for holding tools in place, and while we only use it in the toolbox right now, we are thinking of installing them in our crate too.
Crates that fold out have some issues, such as needing support to prevent the rear wall from collapsing and the like. We're working on a new pit for this year, and a fold-out crate is in the works.

[Jeff Waegelin]

One thing to keep in mind with any crate design is the weight. If you go over 400 lbs (for the crate and robot and anything else you put in it), you'll have to pay more money for shipping and drayage. Think carefully about the materials you use, so that they will be strong enough to withstand the shipping process, but not go over the weight limit.

[lynca]

We followed a standard crate design and it worked out quite well,
Check out the Crate 2.0 Whitepaper,
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/papers/1923

[ZakuAce]

We made a crate last year that we took apart and it was a backdrop to our pit. It was a big pain. Putting it abck together took a long time, and it was hard to set up. I would not reccomend doing something fancy.

[McLOVIN]

If you would like a nice crate and are not sure what to do, check and see if any of the students have parents that may be in carpentry or some other related field. We were able to have a carpenter build our crate that was the parent of a student. It turned out very well.