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Re: All About Ball Control
1918 uses a pool noodle on a 3/4" aluminum tube spindle that rotates at about 600 rpm. The noodle slips on the spindle with a few in-lb of torque. The noodle height is adjusted so that the ball contacts the noodle about 3/4 inch before it hits the 3" setback stop. The noodle slips on the spindle when we have a ball. It can pick up a ball with the robot moving at full speed withoug bouncing off. It holds during turns, and we can back up at partial speed. The bore of the noodle wears out, so we need to replace it every dozen matches or so.
Depending your design, many teams can make a very simple, limited ball collector with no moving parts. Install a piece of soft foam rubber at the the top of the 3" ball penetration zone (on the underside of the top of the ball opening), flush with the front of the robot. The bottom of the foam should be set so that the ball compresses the foam by about an inch before it hits the 3" backstop. This won't hold a ball while backing up, and has limitations during turns, but it does a decent job when you are pushing a ball. Basically, it just puts some friction between the robot and the rolling ball that holds it against the robot while driving forward.
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NC Gears (Newaygo County Geeks Engineering Awesome Robotic Solutions)
FRC 1918 (Competing at St. Joseph and West MI in 2017)
FTC 6043 & 7911
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