Vacum system usage
 

DO you guys know how the Vacum Pump works?
There's that diagream there, but where does it go further?
We are thinking uf puting this pump on our arm and usa vacum to pick up tubes..
Thanks =]

Re: Vacum system usage
 

I had the same idea. U can use a vacuum pump or pneumatic cylinders to create suction. Have one of the ports on the cylinder attatch to a suction cup. I saw a robot in 2003 that created enough suction to swing the big ball around (30" diameter, 10 lb.).

Re: Vacum system usage
 

hm...
i ownder is that's strong anought to pick bot sup?
Probably not, though could be neat if it did...

Re: Vacum system usage
 

Although you may be jumpy cause you think you have solved part of the challenge I ask you to think about when the tube pops in your robot's hand or something, if it will still be able to hang on to it.

Pavan.

Re: Vacum system usage
 

Well then, its hard to believe that a tube will pop in a Vacummed hand, as it has no sharp edges that could damage it. Only option is if we pick up a damged tube, and on that part we are willing to take the risk.
=]

Re: Vacum system usage
 

That could of been us. We used a kit motor (Fisher-Price) plus a impeller (the one from a mini shop vac worked perfectly). The suction cup was a trash can lid with a non-permeable foam ring glued along the inside edge. When on the only way to pull it off was if the foam was pulled off. Having the vacuum constantly generated meant the seal didn't have to be completely leak free.

Re: Vacum system usage
 

:ahh: This idea is not formulated with our investments, so this idea is not good because there are so many problems that can arise with this plan.

Re: Vacum system usage
 

The suction cup is used with the venturi generator that is provided in the kit. Hook that between the air tanks and the suction cup but refer to official instruction for exact hook up.

Re: Vacum system usage
 

If you're interested in calculating vacuum pressure vs. vacuum cup size vs. lifting capacity, there's some basic info here.

Keep in mind that vacuum pickup cups are very sensitive to leaks - it doesn't take a big one to cause a loss of attachment. Also, if you use place the vacuum generator far from the cup(s), and use small-bore tubing, it will take a loooong time to attain or release vacuum out at the cup. Finally, if you have multiple cups connected to one vacuum generator, a leak at one cup will affect the others unless you play games with restrictions in the lines (which will slow down the vacuum flow even more).

My advise to anyone who hasn't used vacuum before: don't expect vacuum to behave anything like compressed air, and remember that a perfect vacuum is only 14.7 psi (and you'll never get perfection).

Re: Vacum system usage
 

Isn't this Oscar? Oscar was so cool.
Jane

Re: Vacum system usage
 

It was actually 2004. 2003 was Stack Attack. One of the Teams that did it created a vaccum pump and used an small bike tube to be the suction cup. The team was 267. When I find a picture I will post it. Couple others did it also

Re: Vacum system usage
 

This remind me of a something my transport (fluid dynamic) teacher told us once. When he got out of college he went to work in St. Louis in a plant right off the Mississippi. There was a recent fire at the plant and the fire pump truck tried to use water from the river but were unable to. One of my teachers first job was to figure out what went wrong. Aparently the pump truck had tossed a hose down into the Mississippi expecting to be able to pump it up to put out the fire, but the water was 90 feet below the pump truck. Since a perfect pump could only draw 33.9 feet of water (or 760 mm Hg, 14.7 psi, etc.) the pump truck had no chance of pump 90 feet up to the fire.

Re: Vacum system usage
 

Just a note... We experimented with the suction cup, and found that it left something to be wanted. One of our mentors works with suction to some degree, and this particular cup is perfect for lifting solid object, such as a sheet of glass. We noticed that you have to make sure to press down hard on the tube to make it stick, but after that it still works fine. My only concern is how these tubes will interact with the suction cup once they have gone through a variety of matches and have had a chance to accumulate alot of dirt.

Currently, our team has split, and we are designing two lifting mechanisms, one with suction and one without. We're going to mock them up and see which one is more efficient/effective.