pic: CD 7 ball harvester

[MichaelBick]

Originally Posted by Alex.q

I like it, but it looks heavy and how much time would something like this really save you in collecting the balls? Is it really necessary?

I would say on traction drives, it is not needed, as you can go with over the bumper pickups. Though, if you did not think of an over the bumper pickup, this can be built in between competitions and have relatively the same effect. On the other hand, this is very effective in a swerve drive, and I would even go to the length to say that in a ball game where you are doing swerve and are allowed to move past your bumper perimeter, this is absolutely necessary.

Also, 973, along with 2415, and later in the season 1323(they all work together), went with this design. 973 has published their CADs in the past, so if you want a CAD of this, you can hopefully get it then.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by MICHAELABICK

I would say on traction drives, it is not needed, as you can go with over the bumper pickups. Though, if you did not think of an over the bumper pickup, this can be built in between competitions and have relatively the same effect. On the other hand, this is very effective in a swerve drive, and I would even go to the length to say that in a ball game where you are doing swerve and are allowed to move past your bumper perimeter, this is absolutely necessary.

Also, 973, along with 2415, and later in the season 1323(they all work together), went with this design. 973 has published their CADs in the past, so if you want a CAD of this, you can hopefully get it then.

I believe the biggest advantage of such an intake is they really handle ball funneling like a champ. Jams just didn't happen, and we were always single ball wide once we entered our robot.

[BrendanB]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

I believe the biggest advantage of such an intake is they really handle ball funneling like a champ. Jams just didn't happen, and we were always single ball wide once we entered our robot.

Adam, what material do you make your rollers out of?

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by BrendanB

Adam, what material do you make your rollers out of?

All the rollers on our robot (intake and conveyor) were 1.5" 1/16" wall. It would have been nice to make the rollers not exposed to impact 1/32" wall.

We made delrin external rings to space the belts, but this could have been done with tape, tread, etc...

The HUGE lesson we learned in 09 with polycord was that your rollers should be stiff for maximum efficiency.

[Brandon Holley]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

The HUGE lesson we learned in 09 with polycord was that your rollers should be stiff for maximum efficiency.

Quoted this for emphasis. We encountered the same lesson while prototyping in 09. Stiff rollers are absolutely essential.

-Brando

[Nick Lawrence]

Originally Posted by Brandon Holley

Stiff rollers are absolutely essential.

-Brando

1503 learned this lesson too, but unfortunately too late. our rollers were thin-wall (I don't remember the exact gauge) AL tube with PVC rings pinned to it.

As a sophomore I could flex it by hand.

It didn't become until the second revision of our roller geometry, which included some green fishing line to tension the bands, which put a fair amount of lateral force on the rollers. To this day, you can still see the warp in the back rollers.

That robot could have been so much more efficient if we had known.

Whoops.

-Nick