[archiver]

Posted by Rod Prather.

Engineer on team #234, Cyber Blue, from Perry Meridian High School and Rolls Royce.

Posted on 10/29/2000 5:40 PM MST


In Reply to: Re: QUESTION OF THE WEEK!!! posted by colleen on 10/29/2000 10:33 AM MST:



As far as hydraulics goes, take it from someone who works with hydraulics, it's messy and smelly. You will always have leaks somewhere. We don't need oil on the field or the carpet and we don't want the students smelling of hydraulic oil. Hydraulics is also more expensive and has a new level of safety involved due to the pressures and applied forces. Water won't work, no lubrication. Pneumatics teaches the same principles. I would vote against hydraulics. If I had a vote, which I don't.

As far as the Fluid Power Guide goes, remember that gas (air) is considered to be a fluid in the field of fluidics. Gases and liquids respond very similarly in a power system or a carrier (a tube) and are applied using the same mathematics. The viscosity is the primary difference. Therefore, the Fluid Power Guide applies to pneumatics as well as hydraulics and was probably recommended because of the use of pneumatics in First robots.

: i think hydraulics would be cool-- and i think it's VERY likely we see them if not this year, but in the near future--

: Just from the Team Forum, one of the help guides FIRST listed as they were going to make was the 'Fluid Power Guide'-- maybe it's just to play with our heads.. but why not??

: Hydraulics are a good source of power.. and maybe everyone's a little afraid of water... but that would be a heck of a cool challenge--