pic: Hex Bearings
 

Re: pic: Hex Bearings
 

Where were these bearings used? Any details on the situations that caused them to fail?

Re: pic: Hex Bearings
 

+1

It would also be interesting to here how VEX plans on fixing this problem.

Re: pic: Hex Bearings
 

since the suppliers of these items are limited, I am not sure what Vex can do about these. However, AM has already put these out for sale.

Re: pic: Hex Bearings
 

Both bearings failed as part of the polycarb intake arms. The second one, in particular, was fresh, and failed in its first match. 1678 didn't have any problems with these bearings throughout the 2014 season.

Re: pic: Hex Bearings
 

Where in the polycarb arms were they? Do you know what particularly in the match caused these? It sounds like it was a particular impact or something, rather than a life issue.

I guess I am surprised that after all you put that robot through this season, that you just had 2 failures in close succession.

I am curious as to the details so that we can learn from them for next year.

Re: pic: Hex Bearings
 

They were both in the rear arm, on the end opposite the gearbox. (The second replaced the first.) From what I saw from the stands, neither failure was immediately preceded by any sort of contact with another robot.

Re: pic: Hex Bearings
 

The failed bearing on the left confuses me.

My experience with hex bearings is that they are hit or miss in terms of quality from all vendors. None of them roll as smoothly as the comparable round bearings, and they have varying degrees of accuracy with runout and hex sizing.

Generally, I'd try to avoid them if it all possible. Even if you think they're strong enough, dealing with availability and variation between suppliers can be frustrating.

Re: pic: Hex Bearings
 

You guys have such fun timing,

These guys will be in stock soon (bigger inner race).

-Aren

Re: pic: Hex Bearings
 

Looks like the weight went down very slightly. What else is different? Smaller balls and more of 'em?

Re: pic: Hex Bearings
 

The bearings get used on drive trains without that kind of failure. It seem the drive train would have a higher loading. I am a little hesitant to blame this on bearing quality. Maybe the shaft is bending or severely misaligned which is torquing the bearing rather than a axial load?

Re: pic: Hex Bearings
 

Well, larger inner race, so yes, that does mean smaller balls and more of them.

-Aren

Re: pic: Hex Bearings
 

The failure may be due to 1 in a millionth chance that it was manufacturing defect (nothing is perfect) but its not common. In past 4 years we have been using both AndyMark as well as VEX bearings on drive and other systems. Never had this issue. We have 7/8" bent aluminum shaft, 3/16 hollow steel shaft but not the bearing.

Looks like both VEX and AM have/are releasing super-bearings this season. Price will stop me from going to these new super bearings.

Re: pic: Hex Bearings
 

The Andymark bearing went up $1 to $6, but the Vex bearing is the same price as before, $5.

I imagine the failure has something to do with the torsional load seen in 1678's flexible intake arms. Our intake this year had similar flexibility, and when it deformed our intake roller stalled more easily due to the load on the bearings. In a WCD, the load is almost entirely radial, since the double bearing arrangement takes up the torques from the cantilevered wheel and the chain.

EDIT: What Frank said.

Re: pic: Hex Bearings
 

Thanks for clarifying, Aren. I could not tell if the inner race was enlarged radially or axially, since there is no pdf on your site yet and I don't have CAD on my tablet (yet). :)