Although we didn't use the manufactured housings for the drill motor and helical gears, it wouldn't be bad idea to make shiftable transmissions similar to the plastic assemblies they made. Nothing fancy, just use the standard drill transmission and a servo. It would help out rookie teams as well as teams that lack a machinist or the know-how to build a transmission.

A lighter, smaller Maxi block would be nice.

A slip ring would make turrets much easier to design and build.

I agree positionable air cylinders would be helpful.


Infinite potentiometers like he ones some of the teams used would help with auton and other functions.

Miter Gears!!!!
Ok, I just had to get it out of my system. I think more 90 deg. parts should be included.
Pnuematics should be beefed up a bit, but I know the battery and compressor are likely to stay the same, as first is relying on vet teams to reuse theirs.

I agree on the penumatics,
evean if we had to buy them ourselves it would be nice to be able to use a few more cylenders.. but most importantly the VALVES to control them just put in a crevat that we can use as many valves as we want as long as they are model XXXXX or a drop in replacement.
hrmm.. also.. drop the joystick rule where we cannot modify the stock ones.. but totally building a system ourselves is allowd :rolleyes: twas IMHO stupid last year.. and will continue to be if they do it agin.

Its not that there isn't going to be a compressor, FIRST just isn't giving a new compressor to anyone except 1st and 2nd year teams as a way of saving money. Check out this thread for more details.

Re: 2004 Kit Changes Wish List
 

This seems fairly dangerous. I really do not want any team building anything with pneumatic parts they built.

Re: 2004 Kit Changes Wish List
 

I think it would be great if they included sprockets with the set screws and such already attached to them. Last year we used the sprockets, but had to weld them to another piece (the name escapes me at the moment), so that they did not slip off. Unfortunatly we welded them crooked, and the sprocket wiggled, and threw the chain off. I don't know if this was in the kit last year or not, but motor mounts for the Atwood motors would be great.

Re: 2004 Kit Changes Wish List
 

...the hub?...

Re: 2004 Kit Changes Wish List
 

Personally, I'd be more worried about the danger involved in some of the mechanisms teams have built with pneumatics than the danger of turning some aluminum extrusion into an effective reservoir. I'm not saying it should be legal, just that there're more dangerous things. If a team can make a piece of extrusion into an air-tight container, good for them.
All you need for that is some sufficiently solid piece with two properly spaced holes, and two 10-32 screws. Trust me, it works.

Re: 2004 Kit Changes Wish List
 

Less pnumatic restrictions. ie: we should be able to use rodless cylinders, rotary actuators, multiposition and feedback cylinders etc...

Larger accumlators

a good pair of optical encoders and higher precision gyros.

Re: 2004 Kit Changes Wish List
 

i say keep given the same cool stuff,,,,,with some extras for surpises of corse !

Re: 2004 Kit Changes Wish List
 

I'd love to see an RC with a USB connection! I'm not complaining about what we have, but it would just be very convenient, you know?

Re: 2004 Kit Changes Wish List
 

I know. You don't see too many computers with a serial port in the front. :p

Re: 2004 Kit Changes Wish List
 

What I would really like to see is something like 4 atwood motors or 4 drills and getting rid of the 2 of one and 2 of the other.

I'd also like to see some uniformity in either English or Metric components.

What about a little flanged ball bearing assortment for 3/8", and 1/2" diameters?

How about some wheels with some real traction to them so teams can just use them out of the kit and be halfway competitive.

Just some thoughts...

Matt

Re: 2004 Kit Changes Wish List
 

Personally I feel there really is not anything more dangerous than anything untested that is under pressure. The problem is not that it is an air-tight container is that its an air-tight container under pressure. You actually bypass any safety features that the original tanks had. Of course I am a safety freak.
I would love to see the list of electronics be expanded to include more sensors.

Re: 2004 Kit Changes Wish List
 

I have to agree and yet disagree. I'd love to see 4 drills or 4 chipua/atwood/whatevers. But then again, sometimes I'd rather have two of each. Some times it's better to have the variety. Anyway, my suggestion would be for FIRST to handle that problem the way they did the pneumatics last year. Let you choose any combination of 4 of the two types. That means that teams would have to wait a few extra days until they know what motors they want and then get them shipped. And if they had new motors or if the kit was for a rookie team, they'd probably have to include one of each for testing and then allow you to return one if you want 4 of the same. Again, I'm not complaining, just discussing.