The Game Floor
 

Ok, does anybody know what the game floors actual technical name is and/or where (if possible) can you get some, or know of any place that you can go to and use a floor of similar characteristics

Re: The Game Floor
 

From Section 6 of the manual.

Re: The Game Floor
 

do u have any idea where we can get regolith or something like it for a mock up crater?

Re: The Game Floor
 

how can we drive on this without crashing?

Re: The Game Floor
 

Very carefully. Sorry, but you're just going to have to be very careful.

Re: The Game Floor
 

Crashing is inevitable. However, lower friction reduces chance for damage. Instead of holding its ground and crunching, it slides out of the way. That's why the rules are more lenient.

Re: The Game Floor
 

The manual indicates that it's supposed to be the Gel-Coated Glasliner FRP (which is smooth), but pictures from the kickoff event show the floor being the pebble-textured Glasliner FRP. I assume the actual material used at kickoff was correct, but you know what they say about assuming things...

Re: The Game Floor
 

Menards sells this very simmilar FRP panel by the paneling I believe the current cost (West Michigan) is something close to $27 for a 4X8 sheet.

-Mike AA

Re: The Game Floor
 

...or about $1500 to cover a full field... ouch.

We picked up 2 sheets already for about $30 each.

Re: The Game Floor
 

Also worthy of note is the coefficients of friction listed in the manual
this means that it takes something like 10 seconds to cross the field at the very best. (Force of friction=force exerted on robot sideways, max acceleration = g*mu, mu inline static=.06, thus g*mu=.588 m/s^2)

Re: The Game Floor
 

The floor looks like the fake ice I've seen at some hockey camps.
A few years ago I had a couple sheets of it to work on my goalie training.
Sadly the place I got it from is no longer in business and I don't remember the exact name of it but I've seen similar stuff at Hockey Giant for about $30 per 4x8 sheet.

-p :cool:

Re: The Game Floor
 

I have to ask this, the rules state that we can buy and use additional official 2009 first wheels. I suggested that making a bot with multiple wheels (12 wheeled beast) would give us an edge however someone said that it would just redistribute the weight.

What I'm asking is (to someone who knows more physics) will more wheels (more surface area) give any real increase in traction? If so (or not) how is this calculated?

Thanks,
-Cody

Re: The Game Floor
 

Frictional force is completely independent of surface area.
Maximum frictional force is simply the weight of the robot times the coefficient of friction. Ff = u*Fn

Re: The Game Floor
 

So make you bot as close to 120 lbs as possible and don't worry about surface area. Hummmm...

Re: The Game Floor
 

... or, to put it differently ... you can decide to put 1/4 of your weight on each of 4 wheels, or you can put 1/12 of your weight on each of 12 wheels.

... but if you aren't driving all 12 of the wheels, your net amount of force that turns into robot locomotion is cut waaaay back.