Wiring for a Turret

[MysterE]

Ok all -

What would you recommend as the best way to wire a 360degree turret. While we could use a slip-ring, its pretty expensive. Any suggestions?

[Andrew Remmers]

You can always make your own slip ring, But that requires an extensive amount of machining and well becomes complex very quick.

The slip ring allows for unlimited rotation without snagging.

If you were to use wires conventionally you can have it so it has over 360 degrees of freedom depending on how you run it. This would help a lot if you wanted that ability.


Its hard to conceptualize in words maybe someone else can do that?

- Andrew

[MrForbes]

We had a 180ish turret in 2009, and just had a "mast" behind it that brought the wires up, and they then draped over to the top center of the moving part.

You could also try to use the plastic "chain" thing somehow, from the igus bag in the KOP.

I'm trying to convince our students that we don't really want the turret to move anymore than absolutely necessary to do the final aiming...something about having too many degrees of freedom...let alone the mechanical problems such as this that it creates

[WileyB-J]

Any way to alter your design in order to not need a wiring harness above the pivot point? Think abstract!

[Al Skierkiewicz]

I would be remiss if I did not remind everyone that COTS slip rings may not contain mercury under the hazardous materials rule R08.

[Ty Tremblay]

In 2008, 190 made a slip ring out of polycarbonate tubing, copper bands, and the brushes from the inside of a few hand drills.

[commonsense]

We could always convince a large Slip Ring producer to make slip rings specific to FRC cost and size restraints. It would be good for business. Otherwise I will just get them to sponsor us.

[Taylor]

Originally Posted by squirrel

I'm trying to convince our students that we don't really want the turret to move anymore than absolutely necessary to do the final aiming...something about having too many degrees of freedom...let alone the mechanical problems such as this that it creates

This is true. The driver ought to be able to get within 30* of the goals - if there is an onboard camera, then within 15* without much difficulty; having a turret with 60* of turn ought to be more than sufficient.

Having lots of slack wire to compensate for a turning mechanism can be dangerous. In the past when we've had telescoping parts we've used coil tubing found on air compressors. The coil would stretch when extended then return to a coil when retracted.

(I almost used the example of a telephone cord, then I realized there may be quite a few people here who don't know what that is/was.)