Re: KOP gearbox?
 

I noticed the changes to the IFI web site a day or so ago while checking to see if the new IFI wheels had been released yet. What puzzles me is that all of the "Out of Stock - No More This Year" items have been changed to "Check back after 1/8/07" except for the breaker panel, the camera, and the servos. I wonder what this means? I sure hope the breaker panel isn't going away. It is just so much cleaner to use than all of the separate terminal and fuse blocks even if it is optional and we have to buy it. I wouldn't be surprized if the camera was upgraded again this year and they went to a different model servo. I just find it odd that in all the locations on the IFI web site these 3 items are distinctly different than everything else.

Re: KOP gearbox?
 

I've also heard that same rumor, at least in the transmission department. Given FIRST's preference to save money where they can, it seems entirely plausible that FIRST found a cheaper way of going about it. Considering that AndyMark was able to undercut IFI's street price on similar single-speed transmissions by a full third, I put some stock in this idea. (There are dozens of other factors here that I'm ignoring, mind you.)

Re: KOP gearbox?
 

Its very possible that they are usingAndyMark or other cheaper solution. If each team gets 2 of them, there are atleast 1000 teamd and they can make them $50 cheaper that is alot of money.

2x50x1000 = 100,000

Re: KOP gearbox?
 

It could just be a minor modification to the kitbot and/or KoP transmissions, I'm not freaking out about anything

Re: KOP gearbox?
 

If they are drastically changing the KOP gearbox I would be surprised. The tooling that they would need to make those would be very expensive and couldn't possibly be worn out after only two years of use. Most of the cost of those gear boxes was already invested, so cost reducing them would be either stupid or very hard.

Of course there tooling could have a shorter life time than I thought but it seems silly to buy tooling to make only 4000 or so of an item.

Just a thought

Re: KOP gearbox?
 

if my memory serves me correctly the sane thing happened before last yeas kickoff. they all said "check back after (insert kickoff day here)".

I'm not worried about any major changes

/forest

Re: KOP gearbox?
 

Well, at ramp riot, for the first half of the day the blue alliance would test out the new prototype IFI radios, so I wouldn't be really surprised if there was some other new stuff as well.

Re: KOP gearbox?
 

There were new radios?

Re: KOP gearbox?
 

If you click 'System Overview' on the IFI site you the kitbot and transmission available. A Freudian slip? Or just an accident?
I believe these radios were tested at IRI in '05 as well.

Re: KOP gearbox?
 

The radios that we tested at ramp riot were hand-soldered bread boards in a plastic hobby box. As far As I know, they were made earlier this year and half of them actually failed at ramp riot due to defective components.

Re: KOP gearbox?
 

One guess that I have is that maybe they are changing the output shaft of the transmission to english measurements rather than metric. This would be a very welcome change since its no fin having to ream out hardened steel for the sprockets. :(
By the way, check out the motors on this page (Robot Marketplace) and their prices. The door motor and window motors are there, as well as some cheap motors that perhaps will be in the KOP. What do you think?
http://www.robotcombat.com/marketplace_motors_ame.html

Re: KOP gearbox?
 

Wise advice. Maybe they're changing the 1/4" holes to 33/128" diameter, just to annoy me? And 37/64" spacing? They'd have to move the holes on the transmission then....:p

Don

Re: KOP gearbox?
 

I think we will see a totally new transmission. AndyMark, maybe?

Re: KOP gearbox?
 

I love the AM transmission and unless the GDC comes up with a huge curveball we will be using them again this year.

I just don't see AM being able to produce a couple thousand transmissions for the KOP and then who knows how many spares.

Re: KOP gearbox?
 

If the transmission is replaced I don'e see first giving us an item that forces everyone to have pnuematics. I also don't see them going with something that requires that type of machining the AndyMark needs. When you're producing ~2500 units you don't want to have to add dog patterns etc. to gears.