Lighter Robots

[Joe G.]

If you don't weigh 119.99 lbs, you're missing something

That said, do detailed analysis of how much parts are costing you in weight. The more you understand where your weight problem is coming from, the better you can attack it.

Doing additional analysis on just how big a part you need is also helpful. Rather than saying "we've always used 1/2" shafts for the drive," learn how to do detailed stress analysis, to determine exactly how big your shaft needs to be. You'll find that these overly conservative assumptions can add up very quickly. A MAJOR culprit on this front is fastener use. It doesn't take much effort to determine how big, or how many bolts you need to hold a part, and yet many teams just go with their gut on this. Using too many fasteners, or larger ones than you need, adds up very quickly.