info on 997 bot or 254 bot please!

[u2andllamasohmy]

Hi my name is Jason Maier of team 701. We are doing a report on impressive bots we saw at cal games. I need info on motors and gears used on these two bots. Etc. Etc.
Thanks

[Colin]

Specifically what kind of information. In the drive train 254 has 2 small CIM motors geared 1:6 and 1:16 using a custom transmission based off of the Teckno Cat shifter. The transmission direct drives the center wheels of a 6 wheeled drive base with 3.75" wheels. The elevator has two Fischer Price motors, not sure on the gearing here.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by u2andllamasohmy

Hi my name is Jason Maier of team 701. We are doing a report on impressive bots we saw at cal games. I need info on motors and gears used on these two bots. Etc. Etc.
Thanks

There is a lot more than what motors and gears on a 254 bot that make it impressive.

If you look through CD-media with photos tagged frc254 or frc968 there are a lot of good pics/threads about this year's (and previous year's) robots.

[Sam N.]

997 = tank treads (this makes it bounce around when it turns)

can push really well, IT CAN PUSH A ROBOT SIDEWAYS

it's got dual lifts, one is made from fiberglass, the other is made from carbon fiber

It uses pneumatic pistons to raise their platforms.

It's an end-game bot, but it does do defense really well.

The only problem i see with it (as an external observer) is that it has two sets of two pneumatic pistons completely exposed when their lifts are deployed. (Sorry for breaking them at Davis last year, couldn't see what the robot was doing on the other side of the rack)

Sam N.

Originally Posted by Sam N.

997 = tank treads (this makes it bounce around when it turns)

Uh, no, not really. The Outback Track system only bounces when turning in high gear, at full speed. And even then the bounce isn't that bad. Also, the bouncing has been fixed for the next revision...

[Doug G]

Jason,

Search the threads for "Outback" or "treads", teams that used them are 997, 753, ???

Here's one to start you off..

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/28213

[JesseK]

the other is made from carbon fiber

I'm pretty sure Carbon Fiber is not a legal material.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by JesseK

I'm pretty sure Carbon Fiber is not a legal material.

Carbon fiber is legal as long as it meets the cost rules.

I saw a few teams at LA/SD/Galileo that had custom molded carbon fiber ramps.

[ChrisH]

Originally Posted by JesseK

I'm pretty sure Carbon Fiber is not a legal material.

At one time it was specifically prohibited. However that changed several years ago as it became more readily available. There are still safety and health issues in dealing with it.

Just a reminder, always read THIS year's rules. These things do change from time to time. So what was illegal this year may not be next and vice versa.

[wilsonmw04]

just a side note:
I was chatting with an inspector at the VCU regional last year. As a rookie team, he was doing a great job taking us under his wing and walking us through the inspection process.
One of the things he asked us was, "Did you use any exotic materials?"
After chuckling at him because almost everything we used was from the KOP, i asked, "What do mean by 'exotic'?"
He replied,"you know things like Titanium alloys and carbon fiber"
he went on to clarify that if you bought a carbon fiber golf shaft and used that on your robot that would be one thing, but a custom part would be highly suspect.

[Madison]

Originally Posted by wilsonmw04

just a side note:
I was chatting with an inspector at the VCU regional last year. As a rookie team, he was doing a great job taking us under his wing and walking us through the inspection process.
One of the things he asked us was, "Did you use any exotic materials?"
After chuckling at him because almost everything we used was from the KOP, i asked, "What do mean by 'exotic'?"
He replied,"you know things like Titanium alloys and carbon fiber"
he went on to clarify that if you bought a carbon fiber golf shaft and used that on your robot that would be one thing, but a custom part would be highly suspect.

I'd venture to say that he didn't know what he was talking about.

[Cory]

Originally Posted by M. Krass

I'd venture to say that he didn't know what he was talking about.

In an absolute sense, I'd agree with you. As long as you met the materials limit, you'd be fine.

I recall a discussion on here where someone (I think it was Chris, actually) mentioned that he had considered making some carbon fiber parts, but the only way he could get the resin to make the parts with was in 55 gallon drums that cost some ridiculously expensive amount. Even though he obviously wasn't going to use all 55 gallons of resin, since that was the smallest quantity commercially available, he'd have had to account for the entire 55 gallons, not a prorated portion.

[Doug G]

As long as you account for the items and they qualify as COTS it is perfectly legal under the 2007 rules. We used West Coast Systems Epoxy, Hardener, some lightweight foam, and the carbon fiber cloth of course. You can find West Coast brand in many high end hobby stores and on-line, ours came in 1 gallon jugs with pump dispensers.

Here's a pic of our layup with the vacuum bag and cooker (heat gun suspended from above)...

[maclaren]

We used the Andymark shifting Transmissions with 2 CIMs and then one set of additional gears that interface the outback MFG tracks to the andy mark transmissions. We modified the andymarks slightly so that we could take out the sprockets and make them narrower. I not sure what the final gearing is though.