Quote:
Originally Posted by Coach Norm
Very inspiring photos and images. I like the use of materials other than the tetrix such as the 80/20. Do you have experience with using 80/20 previously? Do you utilize CAD in your designing?
What is the weight of your robot?
Thanks again,
Norman
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Norman, thanks for the encouraging feedback.
We are not currently using CAD but our freshman are finally taking on the task of learning it. I do not do CAD myself, but will pick it up as the freshman progress.
Since we do both FTC and FRC, we do have a few years of 80/20 experience, but this year is the first one using their linear motion items. The key to success with 80.20 is in mastering all the ways to use non-standard fasteners and hole drilling to make strong joints and connections, Gusset plates in corners are also essential for the larger FRC robots.
We have reached the stage where we know how to maximize our designs to take advantage of the inherent flexibility that the slots allow, as far as fine tuning and repositioning our structure and the mounting of our modules. Our elevator and gripper module have 3-axis repositioning by just loosening slot screws. Our complete motor/wheel modules just slide out radially by loosening 3 slot screws on each. With the small amount of man hours our team can muster, there is no way we could do a robot with this level of design without using the 80/20 type of system.
With three years using 80/20 we now have a huge inventory of related standard and specialized fasteners. This year I discovered that we can adapt their 10-32 slot nuts to work in both the 20mm and the 1" size frame.
Since we tend to buy longer fully threaded screws (flat & button head socket screws) and then dremel cut them to the specific needed lengths this has helped a lot. Cutting 1/4" and 6mm screws with the dremel is tedious.
I cannot overemphasize the importance of a large and varied inventory of fasteners when working with the 80/20 framing system.
We only just got the fully assembled robot together yesterday and I have not had a chance to weigh it, At our unofficial Illinois competition today I will try to find a scale, check it and then post here. We are in the vicinity of 40 pounds by my estimate.
-Dick Ledford