Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

This is team 997's Climber Bot. It has two pairs of pistons, and a linear actuator to move the inner pair forward and backward. I does not currently have any other method of movement, although a modular drivetrain "attachment" is planned and in the works. There is also going to be a "disc dumper" attachment on the middle pair of pistons. This dumping phase of the climb is simulated as a dry run in the video. You may notice that there is a lot of rocking, and that the robot is bashed against the pyramid. This will be alleviated by another pair bumpers on the chamfered front of the 'bot. Any questions, comments, or critiques? Please feel free to post!:)

http://youtu.be/9lqxi2BZlF8

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

It says that the video doesn't exist...

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

Speed needs to be greatly increased. Especially if you want to be a dumper as well.

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

Hmmm. I will look into the video problem. And, as to the speed issue, I also believe that we are pushing it at 2:09, but that was with multiple mistakes from the driver, and also other unnecessary stops, such as the aforementioned bumps. Also. We are planning to have the entire climb done in an "autonomous mode". That way, we will be approaching 100% repeatability. Also, in this video, I am not certain that the tanks were precompressed prior tho the climb. You may also note that it looses pressure on the way up. That would be due to this.

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

I agree. You lose a lot of time just with the swinging. Is it possible that you could shape that end of your robot like a wedge so that you can immediately start pulling yourself up to the next bar? Hopefully the side of your robot would ride up over the rung.

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

you might want to add some sensors/switches and programming to eliminate the need for a driver to control each action. i think that'll speed up the time and eliminate errors.

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

This should be the right link:
http://youtu.be/9lqxi2BZlF8

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

Even still, you should be at level 3 in at most 90 seconds; at least, if you want to be able to score in the pyramid goal. And 90 seconds is a very long time.

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

Thanks, Mat.

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

Could be very worth it to use some gas springs to accelerate retraction of the cylinders.

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

were there wheels on your robot because to me it just looks like a big white block on the bottom of the robot

Edit i now saw the part about a modular drive

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

Amazing job on this thing. Really cool design.

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

Nice work. As others have mentioned, the swinging is a problem, in that it is slowing you down. Perhaps you could deploy a pool noodle as a forward protrusion (either a loop or a stick) to impact the departed bar on the return swings and have a dampening effect on the swinging. Should not take much...just something soft and flexible to touch the crossbar and take energy out of each swing of the robot.

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

With more storage tanks, more practice, and by charging your pneumatics beforehand I think you'll have some gain in speed but not too much. The step that I see which takes away some significant time is whatever mechanism you have to move your robot back and forth. For example, at the beginning of the hang, whatever you're using to pivot your robot up off the ground can probably be sped up. The actuation itself is not your issue, in my opinion. Putting a hard stop when you sway back and forth will also help significantly.

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

I'll echo this. This will make your climb sooooo much quicker. Stick a light gas spring in line with your cylinders that will force the hooks up when you have no pressure retracting the cylinder. You will use half the air volume to climb, hopefully cutting your climb time in half!

Love the design, great work!

-Mike

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

Its getting close to ship date, but you might still have time to throw on a flywheel connected to a motor to act as gyroscopic resistance to swinging.

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

I'd love to see a robot with that. Has this technique ever been used succesfully in FRC?

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

263 and 2168 used fly wheels in 2009 to help their robots turn/resist turning on the slick surface. There may have been others too. I don't know about during a hanging maneuver though. There's never been an FRC challenge that required you perform a second action after the hang, so I don't think any teams considered gyroscopic stabilization necessary for previous hanging challenges.

I too would love to see a robot that implemented this.

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

Be aware that the ability of a flywheel to resist a swinging motion will also produce a precession force. This may not be very large depending on the size and location of the flywheel and the amount of resistance to swinging. However for a hanging robot there may be a risk of reducing the grip on one of the hooks and perhaps destabilizing the robot. A flywheel sure sounds cool, and might also really look cool in operation. But the problem might be quicker and easier to address with cushioning. Remember, keep It Simple.

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

Wow! Thanks for all the awesome ideas! I really like the flywheel design idea. And, we had considered using gas shocks while designing it, and we were going to buy pistons with springs in them. However, money is a big issue on my team.

UPDATE! We have completed the climb in about 40 seconds. As you can imagine, we are fully utilizing the Autonomous Period. Also, we have an awesome driver. There is padding where there can be, and things are going well. A bottom cover for the base bumper has been made.

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

My Team, 3606 BearMetal, (also CHS ), has a very similar robot to yours. We're not using pneumatics but we have three lead screws and three "hooks", our center hook also moves back and forth. We're really quick climbing to the in a minute to a minute and a half. We also might do part of the climb in autonomous like your team.

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

Wait, BearMetal? Are you guys going to the Portland Regional? Cuz we might actually end up on the same team! That would be pretty cool. How much of the pyramid do you guys take up?

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

No we're all the way in Louisiana going to the New Orleans regional.

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

I think you are thinking of FRC 2046 Bear Metal. They are from Tacoma I think.

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

It's Tahoma... Pretty close spelling but not the same place :) 2471 will be attending Portland and Spokane, Bearmetal (2046) is going to Portland and Ellensburg (the third Washington state regional). It's nice to see a local team get some attention on chief Delphi though. We will be revealing our robot on Friday on the webcast that a bunch of teams have volunteered to showcase their robot on. It should be fun seeing this thing in real life!

Btw did you decide to put wheels on it or not?

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

We decided against wheels in the end. Though adding on a drive train may be something we look into as an off-season activity for the kids.

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

BearMetal is registered for Portland and Ellensburg, WA regionals. Portland should be fun!!

Re: Team 997 Spartan Robotics "Ultamate Ascent" Climber (vid)
 

Oh, My mistake! Thanks though! Hopefully, we'll see each-other anyway. :D *at nationals* Cough, Cough. Have you posted a vid/ pic Of yours? I'm curious as to how you moved the pistons back and forth.