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Unread 13-01-2009, 13:34
Rick TYler Rick TYler is offline
A VEX GUy WIth A STicky SHift KEy
VRC #0010 (Exothermic Robotics)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Rookie Year: 2005
Location: Redmond, Washington
Posts: 2,000
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Re: [FTC]: parts that should have been made??

Omni wheels in two or three sizes.

Small sprockets and chain, with a reliable interface to a small-ish motor (Lego or a continuous-rotation servo). Plastic chain would be fine here.

Medium sprockets and chain, either metal or plastic. Suitable for drive trains.
Linear motion devices (either simple like Vex, or a commercial drawer slide)

Pneumatics

More gear sizes

Plastic gears (those aluminum gears are $$$ and over kill for a lot of uses)

More aluminum structure choices -- shallower c-channel, flat plates, angle

Drill the star-pattern on every axle-sized hole in the metal. It's inconvenient not to be able to mount stuff wherever you want without a drill.

Tank treads. Vex got this exactly right -- they are useful for a lot more than just replacing wheels.

We need a better mechanical servo interface. The bracket is too difficult to assemble and disassemble.

Something to transfer power that is lighter and longer than the current axles. The square Vex axles are great for this (and fit right into the Lego motors, too). The plastic bearing blocks, lock collars and square axles from Vex are a good model.

There's a lot to like about the current kit, but it shows that it's a version 1.0. Keep the good stuff coming.
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Exothermic Robotics Club, Venturing Crew 2036
VRC 10A, 10B, 10D, 10Q, 10V, 10X, 10Z, and 575
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