pic: Team 696 Circuit Breakers - 2013 Robot

[Joe Ross]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

The gusset plates were manufactured between regionals and indeed added in response to failure of the welds on the floor pickup frame, due to impact. We have a new TIG welder this year that we're still learning the settings on it. Clearly, we didn't punch enough Amps into it. I really ought to fire the guy who welded those (me ). It probably didn't help that we were welding in the freezing cold when the frame was about 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

Is your welder on the top of Mt Baldy? ;-)

[Drivencrazy]

What is that turn buckle looking thing on the top connecting the riser on the back of the frame and the slanted piece at the front? Is it just a tensile support piece for the slanted riser?

[sanddrag]

Originally Posted by Drivencrazy

What is that turn buckle looking thing on the top connecting the riser on the back of the frame and the slanted piece at the front? Is it just a tensile support piece for the slanted riser?

The red/pink piece you are referring to is an aluminum rod end from McMaster.The white round tube joining the two ends has bungs welded in the two ends that are tapped 3/8-24 left and right threads respectively, so we have essentially have made our own turnbuckle that can easily be lengthened or shortened. The adjustability in this structural member allowed for sawing and welding tolerance when assembling the structure, and the spherical rod-end allowed for some degree of imperfection in the angles.

This year we used TONS of shoulder bolts all over the place. They really are great for this sort of a thing, where you have something that needs to ride on a bolt.

Originally Posted by Joe Ross

Is your welder on the top of Mt Baldy? ;-)

Bottom of Mt. Lukens actually, at midnight on a frigid February night, welding out in the rain. Hoping to move it indoors for next year. We put 8 days of welding into our identical competition and practice robots.