[ehfeinberg]

Originally Posted by lamk

We used the long configuration AM14u for aerial assist. It got us to St. Louis. As an off season activity I would like to prototype a 3 cim 2 speed 6 wheel west coast drive. I am leaning towards a 28 x 28 square configuration. My student wants to stick with the 23x32 long configuration. Any suggestions.

Honestly, I don't feel it really matters what the dimensions are for your offseason drive. However, I would make them so they fit all of the previous years rules to give you practice designing a drive that not only works and looks cool, but also follows all of the perimeter (and maybe even bumper rules if you think that far ahead).

Offseason drives are also great bases for offseason manipulators. Think of what you might put on top of it. Yes, this is hard thinking about future years offseason projects, but next offseason you might decide to prototype a elevator or whatnot. Building a complete robot over the course of many seasons is a extremely rewarding task.

You might also want to use the same dimensions you used for your 2014 robot, because you could possibly (if time permits) take the manipulators of your 2014 robot, and place it on top of your fancy new drive base.

So in short, plan the dimensions of your drive base with what you might possibly build or place on top of it.