View Full Version : Robot Carts
emhw1994
19-01-2009, 17:33
I was wondering where we could get a robot cart. I am kinda an amateur at this whole robotics thing so if someone could help me out that would be great!!!!!!! :ahh:
I was wondering where we could get a robot cart. I am kinda an amateur at this whole robotics thing so if someone could help me out that would be great!!!!!!! :ahh:
Simple: Go to your local hardware store. Find a furniture dolly. When you get it back to your build area, add a handle.
Better: Garden supply store, get a cart. Bigger tires and a raised workbed. Better for going over those pesky cable covers.
Best: Custom cart that can go over said cable covers, with rails for the robot, toolboxes, etc.
I'd go with the garden-type cart, at least for now. You could modify it later.
Brandon_L
19-01-2009, 17:52
As far as I know your supposed to make your own, but I guess you could find something big enough somewhere...Try home depot or something but I recommend you build your own. There like 10x cooler :ahh:
Akash Rastogi
19-01-2009, 17:52
Or if you guys want some help with materials for a cart just PM or IM me. We have a ton of 80/20 sitting around if you need it.
We're in Mount Olive.
As far as I know your supposed to make your own, but I guess you could find something big enough somewhere...Try home depot or something but I recommend you build your own. There like 10x cooler :ahh:
Nope
Do a search here on CD and you will see threads and pictures about carts.
Most teams build their own, they run from simple to hovercrafts with everything in between.
But this has always been my favorite:
http://www.handtrucksuperstore.com/images%5Cdetail_TS007.jpg
we went to lowes and bought a garden cart. it has 8" pneumatic tires and a robust flat wire mesh surface and no sides and is robust enough to hold the robot and control board.
good luck
As far as I know your supposed to make your own, but I guess you could find something big enough somewhere...Try home depot or something but I recommend you build your own. There like 10x cooler :ahh:
Nah, you don't have to make your own. It's ideal because you can customize it to suit your team's needs, but it's better as an offseason project.
I suggested a slightly modified garden cart. Here's the main modification I'd make: take a pair of short 2x4s and attach them to the bed of the cart so that the wheels of the robot are off of the cart. Now it's also a testing platform.
Or you could use a little red wagon...
emhw1994
19-01-2009, 17:57
Akash Rastogi- cool, how should i IM you?
Brandon_L
19-01-2009, 18:05
heheh...I just had an awesome image of a cart with pneumatic cylinders on the wheels....low rider robot :D
[/offtopic]
look in his user profile it has AIM and Yahoo contacts.
Akash Rastogi
19-01-2009, 18:33
Akash Rastogi- cool, how should i IM you?
IM me at lilstogi if you wish.
I'd highly recomend pneumatic wheels. It makes going over bumps such as cables very easy, and your bot has less chance of keeling over. I'd also recomend rails to get the robot off its wheels... This makes testing easy, specially autonomous. A place to put an O/I also helps a ton! Everything else is just for show, (although flashy lights are pretty!!!)
writchie
19-01-2009, 19:04
While it's best to do this as an off season project, we find the cart to make a big difference in the pit. We built this one last build season and it's being motorized for this year.
The cart shown lets us work on the robot at convenient work height and then lower it to clear doors. We have a deep cycle battery and 3000W inverter for power tools and charging up to 3 batteries in the cart on the move.
Our cart was thrown together one day when we were bored, ours is pretty much all 2x4s and plywood. Although when we go to Atlanta or other far away competitions we go with the simpler four 2x4s bolted together in a box and four casters, which works very well.
We got our sponsor Valley Iron to donate 2k for our new 2009 cart. The main reason was because it was the freshman project. That's why they donated so much money. A pic of our can be found on cd just search frc1323 in the media section. The cart is almost done.
spazdemon548
19-01-2009, 22:55
If your looking for ideas, here's ours from last year... (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/dea/dea3b8d899aa52663b51b642c2d1c27f_l.jpg)
synth3tk
20-01-2009, 14:29
If your looking for ideas, here's ours from last year... (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/dea/dea3b8d899aa52663b51b642c2d1c27f_l.jpg)
And I still envy that cart..... :rolleyes:
smurfgirl
20-01-2009, 14:50
Better: Garden supply store, get a cart. Bigger tires and a raised workbed. Better for going over those pesky cable covers.
...
I'd go with the garden-type cart, at least for now. You could modify it later.
Our team has been using the same garden cart since we started up in 2003. It's easy and effective. We spray-painted it blue to match our team colors, and we usually add wooden blocks or something else to modify it slightly each year so the robot doesn't roll off when we accelerate.
amariealbrecht
22-01-2009, 17:29
i know this year we worked on a cad design for our new cart...last year we had a cart that had a removable handle and that failed ... epically... you can engineer your own or you can buy one and personally focus on your robot at hand right now and then later or if you have time make a cart....or just go and buy one at a garden center or home depot
Steven Sigley
22-01-2009, 23:42
If your looking for ideas, here's ours from last year... (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/dea/dea3b8d899aa52663b51b642c2d1c27f_l.jpg)
If I'm correct you guys were blasting "Sandstorm" on that thing in Atlanta. Other might not have found it awesome, but it made my day.
I still love our old cart that I and two other teammates built during the off season!
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/1a2/1a25bc0615cf9ef47d67b4e4d144d59c_m.jpg
It featured:
2500 Watt amplifier
1.5 Fared capacitor
2x 12" Subs
4x 4x6" Woofers
2x 8" Woofers
4x 5 1/2" Woofers
2 Tweeters
DVD Head unit
2 LCD Monitors
Built in Robot battery chargers
Steel hardware store cart
Aluminum and Plywood Frame
I still feel that it was us that caused the addition to the "no music on robot carts" rule. Mainly because of the cart party we held at nationals 2006.
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/7d5/7d58ec3409198b373e7af1e63fb5b8d8_m.jpg
But we don't use it anymore, mainly because it was sooo heavy, and bulky. Not to mention that after 3 seasons the batteries didn't hold a there charge for more that a hour, and getting new ones would been expensive and not worth it. So now we use a simple cart that actually fits threw our shops doors.
A good thing to remember that what ever you put on you cart you have to move it around and get it through doors. So don't make it too heavy or too wide. Don't forget that you also have to get it to the competitions, so make sure it is either collapsible or modular otherwise it will be difficult to get it the competitions without a trailer. Also pneumatic wheels are a must, otherwise you might have everything fall off as you go over bumps and cable runs. Just keep to good ergonomics and you'll be fine.
McMaster has a great selection of pneumatic wheels but they are pricey. Northern tools is a lot cheaper, try them out and if you need help pm or im me.
Urban Hawk
25-01-2009, 17:16
this year we are converting the frame from our robot last year into a cart and we are going to put our mecanum wheels onto it since the rules prohibit them on the robot this year. :(
that will be a fun cart to drive
Team 1708 Dave
25-01-2009, 17:35
We used a old cart from the marching band. It was approx. 30" X 60" with a nice pull handle. We modified it and put a nice tool cabinet on it.
If your looking for ideas, here's ours from last year... (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/dea/dea3b8d899aa52663b51b642c2d1c27f_l.jpg)
:ahh: that cart is better than my car.
im so jealouso:(
synth3tk
25-01-2009, 21:46
this year we are converting the frame from our robot last year into a cart and we are going to put our mecanum wheels onto it since the rules prohibit them on the robot this year. :(
that will be a fun cart to drive
Remember to keep it safe. I don't want to start next season and find out that they made a rule against carts because someone had an accident. I will not be a happy camper. :(
But this year, I'm going to take last year's bot (or possibly two years ago), build an area under the robot for tools and whatnot, some super-cool cathodes and a blue "siren" light from the 2007 robot, and a semi-loud siren. Probably add some more safety features and whatnot.
Just to give you some general concepts of what we have found that works with our cart:
1. We have a platform that supports the robot frame and wheels off the work surface so the systems can be tested safely and easily. The supports for the frame are adjustable, so we can change configurations from year to year to match different frame configurations.
2. We raise and lower this table so we can transport the robot low, but raise it to work at a comfortable height in the pit area.
3. We have a 12 volt battery on board to power a winch that lowers and raises the table, provides power for a small 12 volt worklight, as well a warning signal making it easier to clear the aisle when we are moving through the pit to the playing fields.
4. We have built in storage drawers for essential tools and replacement parts, as well as necessary paperwork. A stationary work table helps to support our control panel and laptop for ease in changing or reloading programs and working on the robot.
You can make your cart as simple or complex as you want and need. Remember, you need a means to transport it to competitions, and that could mean shipping costs to Atlanta, assuming any Regionals you attend are within driving distance. It makes a great off-season project, but you can work on it after your robot ships to your first competition. :)
synth3tk
25-01-2009, 22:16
We had to demolish our cart last season, because we had a different bus when we left than when we came, and there was no room on the back to leave it intact. This year we plan on either modulation or collapsibility.
It's important that your cart, no matter how simple or complex, can be easily transported to the event(s). You don't want to find this out when you're trying to get it into your trailer, bus, SUV, or whatever you use.
nnfuller
25-01-2009, 23:15
Could you work on your cart during the time between ship day, and your reginol and just bring it in?
Could you work on your cart during the time between ship day, and your reginol and just bring it in?Yes. However, consider your transportation method. If you don't have room in your vehicles, you'll want the cart in the crate. However, it is quite common to bring your stuff in on a cart on Thursday.
dtengineering
26-01-2009, 00:09
Ours is made from 1 1/4" PVC conduit left over from the tetrahedrons in 2005.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrhicks_photos/2375542637/in/set-72157604319698768/
It is sturdy, light, and knocks down to fit in the back of a minivan. It was designed and built by Jeremy, third from the left. I doubted it would be strong enough, but he was more than happy to prove me wrong. If students on my team actually listened to me, we'd still be building mini-sumos!
Jason
synth3tk
26-01-2009, 00:28
Yes. However, consider your transportation method. If you don't have room in your vehicles, you'll want the cart in the crate. However, it is quite common to bring your stuff in on a cart on Thursday.
At Buckeye (Cleveland State University), there's an elevator manned by venue staff members to take your equipment down to the competition/pit floor. Instead of everyone carrying a crate and other miscellaneous stuff, we threw it all on the cart and took the ride down. It makes it ten times easier.
Or you could use a little red wagon...
Devil Duckie robot cart= Little Red Wagon and no joke :cool: Radio Flyer for the win. We just take off the side fences and it's perfect!
Dick Linn
07-03-2009, 13:54
If someone wants to make a cool cart, try a 4-wheel steering cart like this guy made for his daughter. There are detailed pictures of the undercarriage at that link.
http://www.shopfloortalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9441
So now we use a simple cart that actually fits threw our shops doors.
A good thing to remember that what ever you put on you cart you have to move it around and get it through doors. So don't make it too heavy or too wide. Don't forget that you also have to get it to the competitions, so make sure it is either collapsible or modular otherwise it will be difficult to get it the competitions without a trailer.
And in the manual this year. Section 3.3.5.
Carts need to fit through a standard 30" door.
Creator Mat
07-03-2009, 23:11
Or you could use a little red wagon... we did this our rookie year for our first regional.
synth3tk
08-03-2009, 01:11
We (read: "someone") ended up frying the control interface on our cart, and close to regional time. So we ended up stripping out all the electronics and using it as a push/pull. I've decided that next year (if there is one for us) we're going to make one that isn't electric.
Pyro2323
09-01-2010, 15:52
Would it be possible to use a robot from a previous year for the cart? I know that we would have to have it hardwired because of the interference it could cause. Would FIRST mind this idea?
synth3tk
09-01-2010, 20:17
Safety First. If you can control it, I'm sure they won't mind. Some teams even build carts to ride on while driving. When you program the drive, put a cap on the speed, so that it doesn't go faster than a brisk walking speed, even with the joysticks/accelerator pushed to the max.
Try to avoid sharp edges. Ideally, I would install some form of bumpers on it. Since it will be an old robot, I can't imagine that being too difficult a task.
But as far as I know, they allow previous robots as carts. They don't really check the carts as much as the current robots themselves.
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