Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris is me
For what it's worth, keep in mind that the 1/8"-ish number became a pseudo-standard in FRC back when drivetrains were 38 long by 28 wide. Excluding this year, in 2013 and 2014 shorter chassis shapes were the norm, and honestly I think people stuck to 1/8" drop on those chassis sizes just out of habit.
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At the same time that chassis were getting shorter (due mostly to rules changes), frames were getting stiffer. The 2012/13 KoP chassis used 1.25" x 1.125" x .125" c-chanel. The 2014/15 KoP chassis side plates are also .125" thick aluminum, but they're 3.8" tall - many times stiffer in terms of support, and the construction is also stiffer in terms of the joins. Vex 2" x 1" tubing, nanotube, and other similar tall tubing has become increasingly popular. While I haven't built one (other than our nanotube air cannon, but we use angle as cross members) , my guess is that these would be nearly as stiff in loading and probably stiffer in torsion than the latest KoP chassis. Custom chassis designs seem to be moving towards "taller" and therefore (other things equal) stiffer structures.
I recall seeing at least one robot reveal this year that boasted a 1/16" drop.