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Originally Posted by DampRobot
Thanks for the comments!
We did have some 1/8th lying around, but also some 1/16" stuff. We've always done 1/8" for gussets, I've just never liked how 1/16" is so flexible compared to 1/8". Well definitely try it some time in the future though, where the gussets aren't taking much of the load.
We waterjetted the gussets ourself, although I can use the plasma cutter too. We prefer to use the waterjet because it leaves a much nicer finish than the plasma cutter and doesn't tend to warp the part. On the other hand, we did have to pay by the minute for cutting time. Going to 1/16" on the gussets would probably save us a significant amount of money.
The poofs did show us the strategic worth of a fast floor pickup bot, but the design isn't a copy of theirs (well, we are getting BBD from them, but you get the idea). Our design is closer to 1538's. However, as a general rule, I really dislike simply copying successful designs. In my mind, there's a lot of value in seeing what worked before, but making an exact copy of a design is just being lazy. There's rarely a solution you can't improve upon. We looked at robots with really effective pickups, did layouts in CAD, prototyped, and based our final design off our prototype. Our final design is inspired by others successes, but at the end of the day a product of our own hard work.
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Cool stuff, 1538's was one of my favorites from this year. Good choice!
And yeah, definitely try thinner gussets on other places (.09 or .08 work too). On the plasma, you can't get a great hole pattern, but if you finish it off on a drillpress it turns out pretty nicely for most applications. Might have to try various cut speeds and settings to get the best product on the plasma, but it's definitely possible.
Good luck! Stoked to see the finished robot.