pic: Team 254: top of lifter mechanisim
 

Re: pic: Team 254: top of lifter mechanisim
 

Sweet. That really is a neat linear bearing system. Where do you get the rollers?

Color me impressed.

-Vivek

Re: pic: Team 254: top of lifter mechanisim
 

Are the pieces that hold the bearings milled aluminum? I'm curious to know if it's possible to use a 3d printer to make them out of ABS plastic in a way that is perhaps as strong as aluminum. For a single stage lift I'd conjecture the stresses on those parts aren't too high when the lift is up under normal conditions, but I wonder about shock loading while the lift is up.

Re: pic: Team 254: top of lifter mechanisim
 

They're double sealed R4 ball bearings.

Yes, they're aluminum. You could probably get away with it for the lateral supports, but I wouldn't trust a piece of plastic to do the job for the front-back bearings. Like you said, you can get a large shock load going through them.

Re: pic: Team 254: top of lifter mechanisim
 

what impressed me the most was how they managed to fit so many simple and reliable systems together to form one large complex robot that preformed beautifully. each sub system (the roller finger, the lifter, the claws, the launcher) was incredibly simple and well designed for it's purpose. Then they managed to get each one to fit together perfectly within that 3ft by 4ft by 5 ft box! definitely well thought out and well planned. even the flag holder was elegantly incorporated into the rest of the design.

Re: pic: Team 254: top of lifter mechanisim
 

Does anyone have a pic of the launcher portion or can tell how it works, thanks

Re: pic: Team 254: top of lifter mechanisim
 

yep