VersaPlanetary Integrated Encoder question
 

Just a trying to get a quick clarification about the VersaPlanetary encoder - I see it's the magnetic encoder.. it *looks* like the magnet is built into the top gear that's rotated by the thru-coupler, so you don't have to bore a magnet into an axle like if you were using just the encoder by itself.

1. Am I understanding this correctly? It looks straightforward but I want to be sure.
2. Is there a way to get one of these gears by itself? We have a couple of the encoders by themselves, it would be great to be able to 3D print an encoder to go with it (as a cool "making something yourself" experience for the students.) I'm not sure where or how you'd find a gear like this though.

Thanks everyone! :)

Re: VersaPlanetary Integrated Encoder question
 

You do understand it correctly.

I would not recommend 3d printing an integrated VP encoder but you could certainly 3d print some other way to interface to them. If you do buy one then don't forget the lubrication.

EDIT: Based on Paul's comments below.

Re: VersaPlanetary Integrated Encoder question
 

The VP encoder uses the exact same encoder board that the CTRE mag encoder uses. VEX purchases the fully tested board (not just IC) from CTRE and integrates it into a VP slice.

The gear is a custom gear we designed and manufacture specifically to interface with the "spline gear" that couples each of the ring gear stages together. You have to purchase the entire encoder slice in order to get this gear. The gear would be very hard to integrate into a custom gearbox because it is a specialized metric gear with profile shift in order to get the gear ratio and packaging we wanted. And yes, the gear has the magnet already embedded. We wanted to make it as easy as possible to use.

Now, one thing you can do is make a VP with no gear stages, just the input->encoder slice ->output and use that to connect to your spinning shaft. I know it may be a little heavier than you want, but it is very fast to integrate.

Otherwise, I would just use the mag encoder with a magnet you embed in a shaft.

Paul

Re: VersaPlanetary Integrated Encoder question
 

Cool, thanks for the input. :) I'm definitely not trying to avoid buying VersaPlanetary's, I was just trying go figure out how to put the CTRE mag encoders that we have to use in a similar fashion (i.e., without having to embed a magnet.) Thanks all! :)

Re: VersaPlanetary Integrated Encoder question
 

Anytime! We will put the ability to purchase the hardware without the encoder on our list for next season's potential additions to the product lineup.

Re: VersaPlanetary Integrated Encoder question
 

5406 designed a 3D printed insert to use the encoder mounted directly to a hex shaft. I haven't actually made one so I can't comment on it's success. Maybe someone from CeltX can talk about how it worked for them.

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1473056

Re: VersaPlanetary Integrated Encoder question
 

It worked great! We used then for the drive encoders, as well as our winch. This year we plan to do the same thing for our drive encoders, although we're going to try to print our own housing too that's better suited to be mounted to a WCD style live axle.