Fantasy Product's-what u wish was made

[Munchskull]

So I have come to points in my time in first where I will encounter a problem that certain slight variations would fix. My question for you is what product do you wish that Andymark, Vex pro, Cross The Road Electronic, ect, would make to assist teams.

My two products that I would love to see are Banebot gear box adapters that could use Bag Motors because many teams have a number of both banebot gearboxs and Bag motors and I sure know I could like to use both together.

Second is a variation of the traditional CIM motor that had a small back shaft and mounting points. This is because encoder mounting is sometimes a pain. With the right encoders we could just stick the one the back of CIM motors and be finshed.

[AdamHeard]

3/8 bearing rounded shaft with a .191 hole.

[asid61]

3/8" hex bore versahubs. I ask for this every time lol.
3/8" hex bore sprockets and timing pulleys.
Pre-lightened gears (the 32p ones from WCP would be be useful if they were lighter).

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

3/8 bearing rounded shaft with a .191 hole.

What would you use that for? Elevator?

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by asid61

3/8" hex bore versahubs. I ask for this every time lol.
3/8" hex bore sprockets and timing pulleys.
Pre-lightened gears (the 32p ones from WCP would be be useful if they were lighter).



What would you use that for? Elevator?

Axles and standoffs. Pretty much everywhere.

[BJT]

90 degree gearbox the size of a versaplanetary, 3/8 hex output.

[josesantos]

Originally Posted by asid61

....

What would you use that for? Elevator?

Most likely. I suppose for lower-load applications you could make 10-32 dead axle gearboxes, axles, etc.?

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by josesantos

Most likely. I suppose for lower-load applications you could make 10-32 dead axle gearboxes, axles, etc.?

As well as high load applications.

[Andrey K.]

A good COTS brake solution. Perhaps one from VEX that would interface with their versaplanetary system. This would have saved our team a lot of time and resources this past season.

[EricH]

You know... Y'all are learning engineering. I'm aware that AM at least will take design ideas from teams (they've done it in the past).

So... You want something to be a COTS offering, how about you make a prototype, do a bit of market research, and see about making a deal with the appropriate company?

Just a thought.


One final item: [geezer]Back in my day, we didn't have these newfangled 3-CIM gearboxes! All we had was drill motors, with drill gearboxes! Had ta make 'em shifting ourselves! COTS parts? HA! Had to build the entire robot, 'cept the KOP! More than 2 CIMS? HA! We was lucky to get that! You young whippersnappers have everything handed to you! Ya wouldn't last 2 days if you had to build all this stuff yourself![/geezer] Incidentally, there's some truth to that... 4 CIMs weren't an option until my third year on a team.

[Kevin Ray]

Originally Posted by EricH

One final item: [geezer]Back in my day, we didn't have these newfangled 3-CIM gearboxes! All we had was drill motors, with drill gearboxes! Had ta make 'em shifting ourselves! COTS parts? HA! Had to build the entire robot, 'cept the KOP! More than 2 CIMS? HA! We was lucky to get that! You young whippersnappers have everything handed to you! Ya wouldn't last 2 days if you had to build all this stuff yourself![/geezer] Incidentally, there's some truth to that... 4 CIMs weren't an option until my third year on a team.

Man! Now THOSE were the days... We'd spend 2-3 weeks just getting the drive train to work.

Now, so as to not hijack this thread, I'd like to have a set of hole cutters like these: http://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/98332570 but 5 thou undersized so that we could press fit bearings into the hole.

[RoboChair]

Originally Posted by Kevin Ray

Man! Now THOSE were the days... We'd spend 2-3 weeks just getting the drive train to work.

Now, so as to not hijack this thread, I'd like to have a set of hole cutters like these: http://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/98332570 but 5 thou undersized so that we could press fit bearings into the hole.

Toolpost Grinder? I recently ran into an issue tapping a 1/4-20 hole, had to tap past the shoulder and had no reduced shank tap. Put my tap in the Bridgeport spindle and a Die Grinder in the vise and reduced the shank in about 15 minutes.
Good times.

[Munchskull]

How about a servo version of the CIM everyone would love that.

[Jared]

Double 25 sprockets, 3mm pitch belts/pulleys with 3/8" hex and press fit for common FRC motor shafts, steel on brass worm gearbox, and half inch hex sleeve.

Some sort of simple system for large diameter hollow tube axles/bearing for arm joints.

[ajlapp]

Double 25 sprockets exist...in one tooth size at least.

http://www.team221.com/viewproduct.php?id=132

[DampRobot]

Originally Posted by EricH

You know... Y'all are learning engineering. I'm aware that AM at least will take design ideas from teams (they've done it in the past).

So... You want something to be a COTS offering, how about you make a prototype, do a bit of market research, and see about making a deal with the appropriate company?

Just a thought.

I've talked with some people that did this and actually got their product to market. I know that they learned an absolute ton, and enjoyed the experience of developing the product, but from a financial perspective really got screwed over by the company they were working with. It sounded like a learning experience, both in design and business skills.

To people commenting on this thread, if you really want something, go ahead and design a product that's suitable for mass mfg (injection molding, extrusion, minimum mill passes, etc), estimate how much it might cost, and see if there's any money to be made. If there is, draw up a solid business plan (why teams need it, how much it will cost, how much investment it will take, how much money there is to be made, etc), and talk to people. If it really will make them money, businesses will sometimes listen.