FRC 4110 First Drive!

[Coin3]

Be warned, half of the full 11 minute video is random shenanigans not directly pertaining to the robot.

http://youtu.be/JkhMVP12XBQ

We are hoping to be able to climb over the bar dividing the court instead of using the ramps. It sure is a pounding situation...

I really mean this:

You're a wide configuration. DO NOT go over the bump without lots of extra time/engineering. It's gonna be hard to do right, and with any error you're gonna fall.

[Coin3]

I'll be sure to tell our mentor.

We are a rookie team, and being 3 weeks in and just starting to drive, I think you are right about needing extra time.

[JohnSchneider]

You should also be testing on carpet. The extra traction will help(wheel wont slip), and youll get a better feel for how the game will be played

[John]

Originally Posted by SuperNerd256

I really mean this:

You're a wide configuration. DO NOT go over the bump without lots of extra time/engineering. It's gonna be hard to do right, and with any error you're gonna fall.

Going over the bump wide is very possible, without that much extra work. It is slightly more complicated than if you are long, but with a low center of gravity it shouldn't be a problem.

Don't give up on a part of the game that may turn out to be critical (if you ever need to play defense you need to cross the bump, and if you are a good shooter many balls are likely to end up on the other side of the field) without first seeing what you can do.

Test going over the bump (correct length if possible), if you have trouble you might not want to do it or you might want to devote more time to getting a low center of gravity, but don't abandon it without testing.

Edit: you definitely want to try it with something closer to a real bump. The difference in material, as well as the difference in length will be important (especially since you seem to get stuck halfway across)

[CalTran]

First, let me say congratulations on having a pretty well formed robot your rookie season. You're certainly headed in the right direction. Also, good look on the rest of your season If it helps, we're a 5 year veteran team and still trying to figure out how to get over the barrier without turning our 'bot into a hovercraft (if only for a few seconds).

On a small serious note, if you're testing the robot and people are getting near it, we on Chief Delphi would feel better if you wore safety glasses over your eyes. They work much better that way

To end on a happy note, SANDSTORM!

[deshnik]

you also might want to use 4 cims and larger wheels it looked like you were using 6 or 8 in wheels or a mechanism

[Coin3]

Thanks for the comments and criticism guys.

The current wheels are 8 in., and are powered by one cim motor on each side connected with chain.

[JohnSchneider]

If you have no plans to use any more CIMs I suggest you do add 2 more. ESPECIALLY with those wheels, youll need all the help you can get.

[roystur44]

I read this article on Popular Science. Maybe it will give you guys some inspiration???

http://www.popsci.com/technology/art...g-robot-design

[Borobo]

I would like to suggest caution with the bump as well, since with a center of gravity as high as yours is, you could very easily tip over your robot if you hit the bump at an angle or were hit by a robot while crossing. also, while I'm not trying to discourage you, the actual bump has a lot less traction than the foam mats since it's made of steel. you should go get some thin sheet steel and put it over a wooden bump for tests