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Unread 04-11-2013, 16:26
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Re: Shifting Gearboxes

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan Anderson View Post
Depending on the game, it could make sense to run some autonomous routines in high gear and others in low gear (2007 was one such game). That's swapping defaults potentially once per match. Requiring a physical reconfiguration of the pneumatics also removes the option of selecting the most appropriate routine at the last possible moment, since you don't want to be unplugging the tubing while the system is pressurized.

Another risk of using single solenoids for gear selection is the potential for a brief "disable" in the middle of driving. There are some things you don't want to change state when that happens, and I'd argue that the gear ratio is one of them. Our 2005 robot had a couple of near-tumbles when downshifting because of the high center of mass when carrying a game piece, before the drivers learned not to do that.
Ah, I see your point there.

I'd argue in most games that's not necessary, and the single provides piece of mind in that the driveteam isn't responsible for setting/checking gear before each match.

As for the brief disable, we generally default ours to high gear.

Your comments are valid overall, but in the general case we'd stick with single. I do see the validity of your points now though.