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Unread 24-03-2008, 14:47
de_ de_ is offline
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AKA: Dave Edwards
FRC #1310 (Runnymede Robotics)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Rookie Year: 2005
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 256
de_ is a jewel in the roughde_ is a jewel in the roughde_ is a jewel in the roughde_ is a jewel in the rough
Re: HELP: Internal Solenoid Leaks Killed Us!

team number 1310

All SMC hardware. (not Festo). Got the SMC engineers on it. However, the leak rate could be the norm in industrial environments and we are expecting too much using a 12v compressor that has to be off for 5+ minutes between when the robot is placed on the field and when the balls are randomized and announcer finally finishes his lengthy intros in the round robin matches. By then 1/2 the air may be gone with the leaks !!!

Thats why I'm looking for input on teams that have used SMC solenoids for years in non-trival pneumatics on their robots. We have 8 cylinders but with careful design (use gravity a lot to retract cylinders) and our initial minimal leak practise days, we had enough air to be very competitive.

Thanks for the heads up about potential leaks in the regulator.