Quote:
Originally Posted by Nate Bloom
Just out of curiosity, how do you estimate the drive train torque efficiency?
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An equally pertinent question might be, what steps can a team take to minimize drivetrain mechanical power losses? There are many factors to consider, including alignment, lubrication, fits/clearances, materials, etc.; however, the concept is simple. If it rolls straight and easily, the losses are low. Many of us learned this as Cub Scouts building pinewood race cars.
80% to 85% is a figure often "plugged in" when using drivetrain calculators (e.g., JVN) -- however, some teams build drive trains that are better than that, and quite a few build them worse.
One good test to try is measuring the free current of the completed drivetrain (wheels up).
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Richard Wallace
Mentor since 2011 for FRC 3620 Average Joes (St. Joseph, Michigan)
Mentor 2002-10 for FRC 931 Perpetual Chaos (St. Louis, Missouri)
since 2003
I believe in intuition and inspiration. Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution. It is, strictly speaking, a real factor in scientific research.
(Cosmic Religion : With Other Opinions and Aphorisms (1931) by Albert Einstein, p. 97)