Gearboxes
 

Hello,

I am wondering if the 2007 FRC gearboxes that came with the KOP can be used this year. Rule <R36> states that "The item must not be a part custom made for the FIRST competition and provided in the Kit Of Parts for a previous FIRST Robotics Competition."

Would the 2007 gearbox be considered custom made?

thanks for the help

Re: Gearboxes
 

we wont to use the last year gearbox.
I hope it is ok
in the kit part The Toughbox gearbox
The 2008 KoP includes two Toughbox gearbox kits for use in your drive
train. For assembly instructions and further details please refer to the
Toughbox User Guide found at www.andymark.biz/
motor 1946

Re: Gearboxes
 

We didn't get gear boxes. :( I have to put that on our list of parts that did not come in.

Re: Gearboxes
 

Rule R36 specifically mentions the 2006 transmissions but does not mention the 2007 transmissions. This is because the 2006 trannys were custom-made for FIRST, and thus would be in violation of R36 if used on a 2008 robot, and the 2007 trannys were not custom-made, and remain commercially available from http://banebots.com/. In summary, NO you cannot use 06 transmissions, and YES you can use 07 transmissions.

EDIT: I am incorrect about the use of the 07 transmissions. See following post.

Re: Gearboxes
 

sadly, you can't use the 56mm banebot gearboxs from last year, because they don't sell them anymore.

Re: Gearboxes
 

The 2007 Banebot transmissions were custom-designed for FIRST, so I'd wait for an official yea/nay from the FIRST Forums on this one.

Though right now with the ToughBoxes from AndyMark, I can't really think of much of a reason to use a 56mm Banebot tranny, unless you have a very tight space requirement.

Re: Gearboxes
 

I don't see why you'd want to use the BaneBots planetaries anyways. They were not very robust.

Re: Gearboxes
 

The BB 56mm gearbox was actually VERY robust once the properly hardened carrier plates were installed. Banebots did a great job of standing behind their product and while there may have been a problem with the gearboxes when they shipped, those that were properly updated were as trouble-free as any gearbox at the competitions. I can think of lots of reasons to use them again... they make a great direct-drive gearbox, among other reasons.

It looks like the new P8 gearbox on the banebots web site is essentially the same thing as the 56mm gearbox from last year, although available in a variety of different configurations.

However the person above who suggested this needs to go to the Q&A forum has the correct advice... while you can get guidance and advice from Chief Delphi, you can only get answers on the rules and interpretations from the Q&A.

Jason

Re: Gearboxes
 

Thank you for the clarification.

Re: Gearboxes
 

You probably wouldn't want to use LAST YEAR's Banebot 56mm transmissions anyway, since Banebots has completely redesigned them for this year. Steel internal gears, different length output shafts, and tie rods to hold the end plates tight to the housing. They mount CIM motors easily, and if you support the end of the output shaft with a bearing, they are very robust. In addition, they have the correct length pins, and the output carrier plate is hardened and now 5mm thick. I fully expected them to be included in the kit, but that didn't happen this year. If we find that we need an inexpensive, quick transmission, single speed application, Banebots is a quick install. All that, and dual CIM's as well. Can't wait to take a look at them. :)

Re: Gearboxes
 

we have 2-3 of the 2007 KOP Banebots taking up space in the bottom of our tool chest. I would love to know in we can use them this year. From our experience last year (banebot mated to single and twin CIMs), These little guys get the job done in very little space.

Re: Gearboxes
 

Even with hardened carrier plates and welded pins, the 2007-vintage Banebot 56mm transmissions were still an utter failure in the robustness department. Last year, Team 228 went through three complete sets of the Banebot 56mm transmissions with hardened carrier plates over the course of five competitions.

While the hardened carrier plates kept the double-D plate intact, the gears themselves were not hard enough to withstand much abuse, and literally imploded every 15-20 matches. The planet gears were always the first to go, shearing off teeth left and right. And as soon as this occurred, the metal shrapnel would get ground up everywhere in the transmission, and by the time the match was over the only thing left inside of them would be metal shavings.

I consider a transmission robust if it'll last an entire season, and VERY robust if it would last multiple seasons.

Re: Gearboxes
 

Remember we have several motors that can mate with other banes transmissions. Don't right off Banes bots as a valid source.

Re: Gearboxes
 

No, I'm not writing them off in general, just for drive-train applications.

For less abusive applications, they'd most likely work just fine.

Re: Gearboxes
 

I think the question is not whether they work well or are robust ( ours never broke at all and we didnt get carrier plates) but if we can use them, I would also like to know whether or not we can order them from the banebot site???

Re: Gearboxes
 

you can order then from the site. the question i have is can i use the units from last years KOP.

Re: Gearboxes
 

You know, we didn't have any problems with ours at all. With the talk here, we took one (of four) gearbox apart and hardened the carrier plate, but a post-season disassemble showed we couldn't tell any wear difference...

Re: Gearboxes
 

So are the old banebot gearboxes legal? If not do you think that banebot would exchange the old ones for identical new ones?

Re: Gearboxes
 

well as was said the identical gearbox (the 56mm one) is not made by banebots anymore, so being able to use them for the competition is a no go as far as I can tell, and you can't replace them for identical ones because they aren't made anymore, you can get ones with the same gear ratio though on the site, but as it seems you cannot use the 07 ones again because they do not appear on the banebot site :(

Re: Gearboxes
 

Alternate question since the Toughbox appears to be pretty, well, tough. And our team does not have any other options - what is the best method to get more length from the output shaft?

we want to direct drive wheels but the shaft appears too short? would a coupling from the shaft to a wheel axle work?

I've sent this question to AM as well - waiting for response.