Quote:
Originally Posted by dtengineering
Not that stored energy systems can't be done safely... of course they can... I know there were some threads on CD back in 2008 about it when we were throwing those big exercise balls around the track... but having clear warning markings, guards, and physical lock-outs are a good start.
Jason
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http://www.thebluealliance.com/match/2008new_qm75
(See ~58 seconds for us throwing, watch how we back up to throw
)
Anyhow, we used a garage door spring that took more than 200 lbs of force to winch down. Our winch mechanism was machined from a solid block of aluminum, everything in contact with the spring was robust.
In the center of the spring was a metal wire, if the spring broke parts bigger than a loop would stay on the wire. Encasing the spring was the "Super Bimba Ultra", which prevented anyone from touching the spring and getting pinched, and also prevented parts from spraying.
When ending the match, we ALWAYS attached tie down straps from the arm to the frame, so that if the release mechanism failed during transport, the arm didn't swing violently.
When we got back to the pits, we always had about 4 sets of hands on the arm to gently release the spring, but NEVER on the short side, ALWAYS with leverage.