Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Line
Every time I see this style swerve, I wonder why teams didn't use aluminum box stock for the lower pieces that hold the wheel. It seems like it would greatly improve build time, strength, and decrease complexity since it would be one piece. Did you guys consider that at any point?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveGarward
For us right now and our build space and tool availability, it is much easier for us to get parts fabricated by our sponsors, than to try to cut and work with box stock accurately enough to have even two identical modules. More so if we wanted cutouts for weight.
That doesn't mean we wouldn't consider boxier wheel assemblies for strength/stability, but to fabricate those ourselves right now is pretty much a non-starter.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by asid61
Having tried making something lime this before, it ends being much heavier and harder to make due to the necessary odd placement of the top bearing and the poorly suited external dimensions of box tubing. In the end it would take more time and probably more money than just using plates.
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I just thought I should chime in here to say that team 2471 built a swerve with both the upper and lower mechanisms constructed in aluminum box tubing, and we loved it. Even with zero CNC machining, it was very easy to build, lightweight, and crazy strong.
The prototype module.
That doesn't mean this the right way to build a swerve for everyone, just that it worked well for us. We had freshman and sophomores make the boxes on a manual Bridgeport early in the season when there was nothing else for it to be used on.
The final iteration weighed just under 7 lbs, and we had zero mechanical failures from the system.