Tote Grapping Strategy

[mman1506]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v...27568399870724

[BJC]

Do not use suction cups to try to pick up the totes or cans - you will thank yourself later.

, Bryan

[Skyehawk]

Originally Posted by BJC

Do not use suction cups to try to pick up the totes or cans - you will thank yourself later.

, Bryan

Yes, listen to one of the original teams, its probably a good idea.

While this is indeed an interesting (and functional if done right) idea, there are far more effective ways to manipulate a tote/can. Do I hear scissor lift anyone? (Just kidding)

[cglrcng]

Originally Posted by mman1506

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v...27568399870724

Now that is a manipulator....Bring your own Semi-Truck Scales...Watch him go 3D Print it to lighten it up and get it to actually work. What is the vaccuum pump on that BTW? We had fun w/ a leg lamp too, but, they could actually play the game with it also.

He'll be the one to figure out how to turn over every one of those flipped upside down Grey Totes easily and be able to push all the totes to you to stack, and cap the stack in Auto, and everyone will be clammering for him to join their Alliance...Lol.

[EricH]

There might actually be a simpler method of generating that suction, if you do indeed decide to go that route. Assuming you're already using pneumatics, replace the motor/chain with a pneumatic cylinder that will be fully retracted(or extended, depending which port you use) when suction is being applied. Ideally, you'd have a small(er)-bore cylinder pulling a large(r)-bore one with one port set vented to the atmosphere.

This method has been used before, with some success, on exercise balls. Whether it'll generate enough vacuum on totes is left as an exercise for whoever wants to experiment (I happen to not know the answer either, though I suspect it would).

[MrForbes]

One of our students spent an hour with a hack saw and a chunk of plywood, and made a neat gizmo that fits the side of a tote and lets us lift it up. No moving parts. It's not very impressive looking. But it works.

[weaversam8]

I agree with having nothing under the totes, that certainly makes stacking easier. Our team is designing a mechanism similar. In my opinion, however, this design seems rather complicated, or at least unreliable. Ideally, a robot should have something that works the same every time. I speak from experience, due to the massive ice storm that affected part shipments for our team last season, our device for manipulating the game piece last year was rather shoddy and didn't work consistently. Don't let me spoil your ideas, however, because everything can be worked into something perfect with enough time.