Quote:
Originally Posted by J_Beth
Wow, that's really sweet! and from the looks of it all it used was surgical tubing, amazing! 
edit: You guys do know that the field is only 50 feet long, right? |
Not just surgical tubing. There are 3 - 4 springs and they use a ratcheting system to set it up. Without the surgical tubing, they achieved 56 ft.
It can be adjusted, depending on much it's ratched back, so the amount of energy can be varied.
And yes, they are aware of it, one of the mentors was betting them that they couldn't make it go 60 ft. because prototype 1 was only able to do 30 ft., thus prototype 2. He lost and bought the Mech1 team cookies.
Quote:
Originally Posted by IndySam
Boom, nice...........
That's a bunch of spinning metal under a lot of stress for you guys to not be wearing safety glasses.
|
I know, when I went out there I had a talk with them about it when I was still inside and saw safety glasses sitting around on the tables everywhere but no one wearing them then I found them outside testing.
At least they tested it outside, at the beginning the kept testing the kicker in the hallway and their two toed metal foot made the ball go vertical and hit the ceiling instead, fortunately no damage to the tile and there was no light in the way.
Quote:
Originally Posted by coldfusion1279
I think motorcycle helmets would have been more appropriate...
Sweet kicker, how do you plan on cocking it back?
|
I believe they are hooking a motor(not straight on but through belts or gearing) on. There is a ratchet on their that cocks it back.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex.Norton
Very impressive... if you can control it and get it repeatable.
Also, as an inspector for the Denver Regional, I would ask you to come prepared for many questions about that device. As I watch I could easily see a long discussion involving the safety inspector about all conditions of failure on that thing.
|
Oh we'll be ready, one of our goals this year is to go through inspection once, but we'll see, the students every monday have to rehearse explaining their robot, progress, and etc.
It's repeatable, the results were consistent, the question is mounting their motor parts, currently they're making prototype 2A(motor mount & shorter leg).
Overview picture of kicker prototype 2:
http://picasaweb.google.com/minesrob...22738888385922
Leg broke through 1/4" aluminum bracket:
http://picasaweb.google.com/minesrob...24263788718018