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View Full Version : Minibot help


TheGuyz
14-03-2011, 22:46
I was just wondering how some teams get their minibot up the pole so fast.
Our minibot climbs the pole in 6-7 seconds. We currently have one wheel running off of two motors. Any tips or advice?

MP3341
14-03-2011, 22:49
take off those gearboxes, attach tetrix shaft onto the motors, wrap it with latex tubing, and use magnets. you should get under 2 secs

TheGuyz
14-03-2011, 22:54
Ok thanks. Use magnets for what?

548swimmer
14-03-2011, 22:55
Ok thanks. Use magnets for what?

Attatching to the pole.

TheGuyz
14-03-2011, 22:56
oh srry i am not a build so i ask stupid questions like that

MP3341
14-03-2011, 22:56
^ pretty much

jblay
14-03-2011, 22:57
Play around with the gears in the gear box and play around with taking the gearbox off

TheGuyz
14-03-2011, 22:57
we dont have a gearbox we just have 2 gears

548swimmer
14-03-2011, 23:04
we dont have a gearbox we just have 2 gears

The motors come with a pre-attached gearbox. Did you take that off?

MP3341
14-03-2011, 23:05
theguyz, perhaps you want to reduce the weight and not use wheels

TheGuyz
14-03-2011, 23:08
I think they did take off the gearboxes because when I saw the motors they didnt have any on them. we reduced the weight of the minibot to around 5-6lbs

MP3341
14-03-2011, 23:10
hmmm, trim the weight if you want a faster minibot, but if it works and remain consistent, its still competitive.

TheGuyz
14-03-2011, 23:12
Ok thanks for all the advice

TheGuyz
14-03-2011, 23:28
Umm...what kind of magnets can we use?

EricH
14-03-2011, 23:33
I would suggest magnetic ones.:p

There aren't any restrictions on types of magnet in <R92>. As such, any type is fair game--just use caution if it's mounted on something; whatever it's mounted on also needs to be legal.

MP3341
14-03-2011, 23:41
neodymium magnets

MattC9
14-03-2011, 23:42
And deployment, use 1 movement. In week 1 lots of mini-bots hit a snag after there 1st deployment motion (i.e. mechanism flips down mini-bot shot forward then UP, the mini-bot would not shoot out) in conclusion Less moving parts=the better, and less room for error =)

Power2U
15-03-2011, 01:56
Team 3680 is having a similar problem with those "latex rod" minibots.

We constructed a minibot with 1/2" OD aluminum rods, attached surgical tubing on them, but the minibot does not seem to want to climb the pole. The rods just run at the base of the pole with no effect.

We were looking into traction issues- do the rods have to have a very snug/tight fit around the pole?

Chris is me
15-03-2011, 02:26
Your rods are far too big and as a result you're stalling your motors (they do not have the torque necessary to lift the robot). Try smaller.

Your problem isn't caused by this (probably not a tight enough fit) but I thought I'd mention it.

TheGuyz
15-03-2011, 14:54
Can we use custom made spacers on the minibot?

Vikesrock
15-03-2011, 15:22
Can we use custom made spacers on the minibot?

If the raw material they are fabricated from is listed as an allowable material in R92 they should be legal.

TheGuyz
15-03-2011, 15:28
If the raw material they are fabricated from is listed as an allowable material in R92 they should be legal.

So we should be able to machine any parts as long as the material are allowed

Eagleeyedan
15-03-2011, 16:16
Lighter is faster as we found out. If you look at Waves, it's very light and it has NO WHEELS! It just has rubber tubes on shafts to drive it up.

JB987
15-03-2011, 21:18
Lighter is faster as we found out. If you look at Waves, it's very light and it has NO WHEELS! It just has rubber tubes on shafts to drive it up.

A few questions...
How fast? Any problems with amount of cantilever you had on shafts? Is the blue tubing some kind of fatter surgical tubing?

Eagleeyedan
15-03-2011, 21:30
A few questions...
How fast? Any problems with amount of cantilever you had on shafts? Is the blue tubing some kind of fatter surgical tubing?

It was very fast but it did fall off a few times. This isn't our minibot it's Wave's but we almost used it. As to the material, I am not sure. It's some kind of rubber tube.

Tyler Olds
15-03-2011, 23:48
It was very fast but it did fall off a lot. This isn't our minibot it's Wave's but we almost used it. As to the material, I am not sure. It's some kind of rubber tube.

I don't recall our mini-bot ever falling off of the pole (well maybe once).... we had a couple of issues with deployment (which is worked out), but that was never really due to the mini-bot.........