Fantasy Product's-what u wish was made

[Munchskull]

Originally Posted by Monochron

I was talking to a 900 mentor about this idea this season. Honestly I think one of the biggest barriers to team's using encoders is the mechanical mounting and something so simple to integrate like this would be huge.

More encoder mounting for all motors.

[Pault]

Originally Posted by mman1506

An incremental encoder "stage" for a VersaPlanetary that is linked directly to the output shaft.

Step 1: Drill a 1/4in hole 3/4in deep into the center of the output shaft

Step 2: Use a hacksaw to cut down the center of the shaft to the same depth as the hole.

Step 3: Assemble VersaPlanetary and mount onto robot.

Step 3: Put a 1/2in hex shaft collar around the end of the shaft.

Step 4: Cut a piece of thin polycarb and drill a 3/8in hole near one end.

Step 5: Use a nut to screw an incremental encoder, absolute encoder, single turn potentiometer*, or 10 turn potentiometer into the hole in the polycarb.

Step 6: Insert shaft of sensor into hole in the output shaft.

Step 7: Tighten shaft collar.

Step 8: Attach the loose end of the polycarb to any nearby piece of the robot.

We did this on 9 out of 11 of the VersaPlanetaries on our robot. It was so simple, and just worked. Should accomplish what you want fairly well.

*I don't have the link for where we bought these, but I doubt it would be difficult to find them with the right shaft size.

[2544HCRC]

Richer variety of cheap Aluminum pressed gears and sprockets. The AndyMark hex gears and sprockets are a bargain but I wish there was just more of a variety in size. Also a set of right angle gears that one could build a gearbox around. Also adapter gears for the shafts of many of the First motors.

A more inexpensive pneumatics valve for FIRST applications along with a compressor that delivered a slightly larger cfm in a similar sized package (Its MY wishlist).

[Kevin Ray]

Originally Posted by EricH

One final item: [geezer]Back in my day, we didn't have these newfangled 3-CIM gearboxes! All we had was drill motors, with drill gearboxes! Had ta make 'em shifting ourselves! COTS parts? HA! Had to build the entire robot, 'cept the KOP! More than 2 CIMS? HA! We was lucky to get that! You young whippersnappers have everything handed to you! Ya wouldn't last 2 days if you had to build all this stuff yourself![/geezer] Incidentally, there's some truth to that... 4 CIMs weren't an option until my third year on a team.

Man! Now THOSE were the days... We'd spend 2-3 weeks just getting the drive train to work.

Now, so as to not hijack this thread, I'd like to have a set of hole cutters like these: http://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/98332570 but 5 thou undersized so that we could press fit bearings into the hole.

[RoboChair]

Originally Posted by Kevin Ray

Man! Now THOSE were the days... We'd spend 2-3 weeks just getting the drive train to work.

Now, so as to not hijack this thread, I'd like to have a set of hole cutters like these: http://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/98332570 but 5 thou undersized so that we could press fit bearings into the hole.

Toolpost Grinder? I recently ran into an issue tapping a 1/4-20 hole, had to tap past the shoulder and had no reduced shank tap. Put my tap in the Bridgeport spindle and a Die Grinder in the vise and reduced the shank in about 15 minutes.
Good times.

[Munchskull]

How about a servo version of the CIM everyone would love that.

[marshall]

Originally Posted by Pault

Step 1: Drill a 1/4in hole 3/4in deep into the center of the output shaft

Step 2: Use a hacksaw to cut down the center of the shaft to the same depth as the hole.

Step 3: Assemble VersaPlanetary and mount onto robot.

Step 3: Put a 1/2in hex shaft collar around the end of the shaft.

Step 4: Cut a piece of thin polycarb and drill a 3/8in hole near one end.

Step 5: Use a nut to screw an incremental encoder, absolute encoder, single turn potentiometer*, or 10 turn potentiometer into the hole in the polycarb.

Step 6: Insert shaft of sensor into hole in the output shaft.

Step 7: Tighten shaft collar.

Step 8: Attach the loose end of the polycarb to any nearby piece of the robot.

We did this on 9 out of 11 of the VersaPlanetaries on our robot. It was so simple, and just worked. Should accomplish what you want fairly well.

*I don't have the link for where we bought these, but I doubt it would be difficult to find them with the right shaft size.

Can you provide pictures for this?

Personally, I'd rather see more integrated options made available to teams than us using the same old hacks to make our existing solutions work. Yes, they work, but they aren't pretty. I think I have a good idea of what you are describing and the encoder/sensor being exposed is still the biggest problem for longevity (read: durability).

[Jared]

Double 25 sprockets, 3mm pitch belts/pulleys with 3/8" hex and press fit for common FRC motor shafts, steel on brass worm gearbox, and half inch hex sleeve.

Some sort of simple system for large diameter hollow tube axles/bearing for arm joints.

[ajlapp]

Double 25 sprockets exist...in one tooth size at least.

http://www.team221.com/viewproduct.php?id=132

[Scott Kozutsky]

I'd like to see vex or AM make sprockets compatible with bike chain.

It's really strong, more resistant to misalignment, more readily available, has much better breaking/joining tools and is lighter than 35 chain per linear distance. There are also a few existing mechanisms that could potentially be pulled from bikes for it.

[Electronica1]

How about a 2 inch colson wheel with hex hub (I know it is a tad random, but would help with my teams octocanum)

Plus, on the more unrealistic side:
locking mecanum wheels
A disk brake stage that stacks with other gearboxes that have a hex output shaft

[Mike Marandola]

Originally Posted by Scott Kozutsky

I'd like to see vex or AM make sprockets compatible with bike chain.

It's really strong, more resistant to misalignment, more readily available, has much better breaking/joining tools and is lighter than 35 chain per linear distance. There are also a few existing mechanisms that could potentially be pulled from bikes for it.

Why not buy them from Mcmaster? Bike chain is ANSI #40 and 1/2" pitch right?

[Munchskull]

Originally Posted by Electronica1

A disk brake stage that stacks with other gearboxes that have a hex output shaft

That is not unrealistic at all. I would love a modular hex disk break.

[Scott Kozutsky]

Originally Posted by Mike Marandola

Why not buy them from Mcmaster? Bike chain is ANSI #40 and 1/2" pitch right?

Not compatible with existing wheels (versapattern/1.875 hexagonal bolt pattern) and no cheap hex options. Additionally, #40 chain is physically thicker than bike chain making the sprockets incompatible.

Originally Posted by Munchskull

That is not unrealistic at all. I would love a modular hex disk break.

I've seen teams mount disks to the 1.875 hole pattern adapters so that's a pretty good starting point. It's a pretty simple thing to execute and is not necessary for most games so it would be too specialized IMO.

It would also be cool to see versablocks to mount to standard lumber sizes to make prototype and otherwise cheap robots easier.

[Mike Marandola]

Originally Posted by Scott Kozutsky

Not compatible with existing wheels (versapattern/1.875 hexagonal bolt pattern) and no cheap hex options. Additionally, #40 chain is physically thicker than bike chain making the sprockets incompatible.

Ahh, I am not very familiar with bikes. I never knew there were various bike chain roller widths. Neat!