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Unread 27-09-2011, 13:47
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Re: pic: 2 Speed Switching Module

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brandon Holley View Post
I think what Sean was saying in one way or another, is that you don't need to prototype to get a good idea of what to expect in this particular scenario. Prototyping is certainly one way to do it, but the problem with prototypes is that they get expensive quickly. If you go on to study engineering, and eventually become an engineer, you will quickly learn that saving resources (time, money, machines, etc.) is always something to consider.

Going back to your original problem... A 135 lb robot (120 lb + battery, etc) can only exert a given force on the ground through whatever number of contact points it will have. If you have a good estimate on the coefficient of friction between the wheel and the carpet, you can easily estimate what the ideal gearing should be; no prototyping required.

-Brando
That's exactly what I was saying. The whole purpose of engineering and math and theory is so you don't have to experiment to determine if basic systems are going to work or work well. If you want to throw away money on a less than optimized prototype then no one will stop you but if you take the literally 3 minutes required to run basic calculations to determine your traction limited wheel speed you will save precious time in the long run and end up with a much better performing module.
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