For the love of CIMs (A question about CIMs and gearboxes)

[thefro526]

Originally Posted by SuperNerd256

1) Have you ever been able to use more than 4 CIMs on a robot?
2) What are your thoughts on a custom gearbox with 3 CIM inputs, and one output?

The CIMs would be in a triangle formation around a central drive gear. This could allow for a smaller gear reduction, or a robot that is both faster, and more powerful in one.

And just for the fun of it:
3) What would a 4 CIM gearbox be like? What would the advantages be?

1) In 2010 we were allowed to use a 5th CIM motor. This was because of some other motor changes that year. Many teams used the 5th CIM for a hanging mechanism or kicking mechanism. Otherwise, 4 CIM motors have been a staple of the KOP since 2005. (Excluding the 'big' CIMs of 2005-2007)

2) A gearbox that accepts three CIM motors as inputs isn't all that uncommon. Many teams will design a gearbox to accept 3 CIM motors then run an FP, 550 or 775 through an AM planetary, Cimulator or CIMsim transmission to make it's output interface like a CIM motor.

From what I've seen, adding a 5th and 6th motor to the drive will help with acceleration and allow you to gear for a higher top speed with a single speed drive train. You're pushing power will still be limited by the CoF of your Drive train, but it's ability to accelerate more quickly and sustain a higher top speed may be advantageous in some games.

3) I believe others before me have posted some of the coaxial swerve boxes that used 4 CIM's in a single box. There are a few advantages to this, but many of them have to do with the packaging of a coaxial swerve or similar Drive train.