KOP Drivetrain vs Voucher

[bardd]

Originally Posted by SuperNerd256

Just curious - why don't you like the belts? They are more efficient than chain, don't stretch, and require little maintenance.

I know... Belts are better, but we don't seem to get along with them.
We're always a quarter of an inch off in our builds (oh, that cursed quarter of an inch), and with belts being unresizable and barely stretchable, that's a big problem for us.
We also have to make changes often, and having to take the entire set of wheels down every time you want to move the belt is a hugh waste of time (not to talk about the mess and nerves the spacers create).

[pfreivald]

I've popped plenty of chain, but never a belt. Teams afraid of using belts should... outgrow their fear!

[F22Rapture]

Hey, teams using belts are eligible for the Gates Corporation scholarship...

2,000 towards college sounds like a good enough reason to use belts to me.

[BrendanB]

Originally Posted by bardd

I know... Belts are better, but we don't seem to get along with them.
We're always a quarter of an inch off in our builds (oh, that cursed quarter of an inch), and with belts being unresizable and barely stretchable, that's a big problem for us.
We also have to make changes often, and having to take the entire set of wheels down every time you want to move the belt is a hugh waste of time (not to talk about the mess and nerves the spacers create).

You express some concerns that a lot of teams encouter when they think of belts. They do have their advantages but your design needs to be solid and your mechanical team has little to no room for error. The smallest amount off creates slack leading to ratcheting.

However, I am optomistic that Andymark will produce a solid, easy to use system that is easier than previous KOP chassis to assemble and maintain!

[z_beeblebrox]

Team 4183 is probably going with the voucher. We have mentors with drivetrain design experience and access to laser-cut aluminium. Using those resources and a $450 voucher, we could probably design something significantly better than the KOP drivetrain.

Originally Posted by F22Rapture

Hey, teams using belts are eligible for the Gates Corporation scholarship...

2,000 towards college sounds like a good enough reason to use belts to me.

Does that require using the KoP belts and/or using belts in the drivetrain, or any belts on your robot?

[z_beeblebrox]

I'm not sure, but I think that any belts can be used.

[Mk.32]

Originally Posted by z_beeblebrox

Team 4183 is probably going with the voucher. We have mentors with drivetrain design experience and access to laser-cut aluminium. Using those resources and a $450 voucher, we could probably design something significantly better than the KOP drivetrain.

I thought only veteran teams could get the voucher?

[R.C.]

Originally Posted by Mk.32

I thought only veteran teams could get the voucher?

I believe 4450 is the starting rookie number for this year.

-RC

[Mk.32]

Originally Posted by R.C.

I believe 4450 is the starting rookie number for this year.

-RC

I thought a "veteran team" was defined as an team on it's 3rd year?

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Mk.32

I thought a "veteran team" was defined as an team on it's 3rd year?

The unofficial sequence:
Rookie (1st year)
Sophomore (2nd year)
Veteran (3rd year or more)

The official sequence, however, lumps sophomores in with the veterans:
Rookie (1st year)
Veteran (Everybody not classed as a rookie)

4183, by the official sequence, is a veteran, and therefore eligible for the voucher.

[Mk.32]

Originally Posted by EricH

The unofficial sequence:
Rookie (1st year)
Sophomore (2nd year)
Veteran (3rd year or more)

The official sequence, however, lumps sophomores in with the veterans:
Rookie (1st year)
Veteran (Everybody not classed as a rookie)

4183, by the official sequence, is a veteran, and therefore eligible for the voucher.

Ah, thanks that makes more sense.

[JB987]

Originally Posted by bardd

I know... Belts are better, but we don't seem to get along with them.
We're always a quarter of an inch off in our builds (oh, that cursed quarter of an inch), and with belts being unresizable and barely stretchable, that's a big problem for us.
We also have to make changes often, and having to take the entire set of wheels down every time you want to move the belt is a hugh waste of time (not to talk about the mess and nerves the spacers create).

Use of adjustable (sliding) bearing blocks allows you to easily move/adjust belts...we'be been using belts since 2007 without any problems and love the results. Gates has been an awesome, supportive resource and is committed to helping other teams gain the benefits we have seen over the past 6 years.

[bardd]

Originally Posted by JB987

Use of adjustable (sliding) bearing blocks allows you to easily move/adjust belts...we'be been using belts since 2007 without any problems and love the results. Gates has been an awesome, supportive resource and is committed to helping other teams gain the benefits we have seen over the past 6 years.

As far as I'm aware, there are no sliding bearing blocks in c-channels
We'd have to wait for the KoP to arrive befor making the final decision.

BTW, I might have not mentioned this, we did have some good experiences with belts (in which cases we did use the sliding bearing blocks), it's the fact you don't have maneuvering room that troubles us.

[JB987]

Not sure what you mean by maneuvering room. Belts/sprockets don't have to take up much room...some teams even put them in their box tubing frame. Do you mean maneuvering room to access the belts?