Tubing

[pfortunejr]

Can you use square aluminum tube or round tube as part of the structure? Can you use angle to make a square tube? What is the difference between a timming belt and chan/belt?

[JVN]

I think the tube you described could be considered Extruded Aluminum, and I believe there are no limits on this. As for the difference between chain and timing belt... well... chain is made up of different links connected together such that each link is solid, but the entire length is flexible. Belt is a single unit, not many connected units, the entire length is flexible. It comes in many different shapes and sizes. (ex. V-Belt, timing belt...)

I think those are pretty good definitions??

[smokescreen]

You can use as much extruded aluminum as you wish.

So you can make your robot structure out of round or square tubing. So there's no need to make square tubing out of angle iron. However, it is conceivable to make the entire structure out of 1/4" aluminum angle iron I suppose.
Although, because there is no limit on extruded aluminum, you could use something more extravagant than tubing for your chassis. You could use 80/20 for example.

Also, timing belt is simply a flat rubber belt with raised rubber sections. When the timing belt is used with timing pulleys, there is essentially no belt slip. Very useful if you wish to have one shaft driven by another shaft and want to keep the rotational alignment the same.

Some teams have used timing belt to give them extra traction by wrapping it around their wheels.

-smokescreen

[Scott358]

While I don't think there's a limit to the amount, I believe there is a dimensional restriction to 2" x 3", with 1/4" max wall thickness. It's listed in the manual.

Scott358

[Dan 550]

Tubing and angle Al/Fe are NOT extrusion. Extrusion is a totally different manufacturing process and also goes under different rules stated on the Additional Parts List.

[Andy Baker]

There are extruded aluminum tubing, round and square. Many sources sell the stuff. Sure, there are many ways to make aluminum tubing, and the one most preferred in the industry of machinery the size of FIRST robots is extrusion.

Andy B.

[Paul Copioli]

Well, Andy has surfaced!!!

Yes, Andy is correct about the aluminum. In the sizes we are limited to (2 X 3 X1/4), the most common method for making rounds and tubes is extruding.

-Paul