New Tread from AndyMark - Pebbletop Tread

[AllenGregoryIV]

Just got an email about AndyMark offering a new tread material.

Pebbletop Tread



Anyone used something like this before? Any ideas about the CoF?

They are also selling Blue Nitrile Roughtop Tread

[bigbeezy]

Nice they finally have blue nitrile tread. McMaster is cheaper (5994K9) but you have to cut it to proper width.

Curious about the pebbletop as well.

[Mark McLeod]

Pebbletop tread:
•Coefficient of Friction on tight-pile carpet: 1.24

Blue Nitrile:
•Coefficient of Friction on tight-pile carpet: 1.19

from the product specs at AndyMark

[cadandcookies]

According to AndyMark, the pebbletop has a CoF of 1.24 on tight-pile carpet, while the Blue Nitrile has a CoF of 1.19. I haven't ever used it or seen it used, so I can't say anything about wear characteristics, though.

Edit: Mark beat me to it

[AllenGregoryIV]

Originally Posted by Mark McLeod

Pebbletop tread:
•Coefficient of Friction on tight-pile carpet: 1.24

Blue Nitrile:
•Coefficient of Friction on tight-pile carpet: 1.19

from the product specs at AndyMark

Originally Posted by cadandcookies

According to AndyMark, the pebbletop has a CoF of 1.24 on tight-pile carpet, while the Blue Nitrile has a CoF of 1.19. I haven't ever used it or seen it used, so I can't say anything about wear characteristics, though.

Edit: Mark beat me to it

Thanks guys, Just so everyone knows, they updated their product page. I promise I can read

Would still like to know if anyone has used something similar to pebbletop before.

[Michael Hill]

Also of particular note is a new pressure transducer. It's very exciting to see an affordable pressure transducer (with a datasheet).

[Ty Tremblay]

I'm willing to bet this is a product that AnyMark had moulded for them.

[R.C.]

Originally Posted by Ty Tremblay

I'm willing to bet this is a product that AnyMark had moulded for them.

I doubt that. I get offers from our suppliers to buy the same stuff.

[GeeTwo]

I'm sure a lot of FTC teams wish this had come out a few months earlier - it looks like a great tread for climbing the churros on the mountain.

[orangemoore]

Originally Posted by GeeTwo

I'm sure a lot of FTC teams wish this had come out a few months earlier - it looks like a great tread for climbing the churros on the mountain.

That is debatable. The Various FRC treads generally* don't work well on the mountains.

* From personal experience and observations at various competitions.

[DaveL]

Originally Posted by cadandcookies

According to AndyMark, the pebbletop has a CoF of 1.24 on tight-pile carpet, while the Blue Nitrile has a CoF of 1.19. I haven't ever used it or seen it used, so I can't say anything about wear characteristics, though.

I too just noticed this on AndyMark's site.

If it wears better than Blue Nitrile we will be a big fan of this material.
In 2014 we switched to the AndyMark white 4" wheels as these had more material and lasted longer.
The CoF for these wheels on carpet is a little less than the other wheels. (1.07)
https://www.andymark.com/product-p/am-2256.htm

[GeeTwo]

Originally Posted by orangemoore

That is debatable. The Various FRC treads generally* don't work well on the mountains.

* From personal experience and observations at various competitions.

My point is that the tread pattern here is different from the other FRC treads, in that it has transverse grooves across the whole width rather than angled or interrupted grooves, holes, or a solid tread. If the widths of these grooves and ridges are appropriate, it would mechanically engage the churros better than a solid or angled tread pattern.

[EricDrost]

Originally Posted by GeeTwo

My point is that the tread pattern here is different from the other FRC treads, in that it has transverse grooves across the whole width rather than angled or interrupted grooves, holes, or a solid tread. If the widths of these grooves and ridges are appropriate, it would mechanically engage the churros better than a solid or angled tread pattern.

We're using 4x 4" colsons for FTC and have no problem driving up to mid. More than high enough for our climbing mechanism to engage the pull up bar for our 80pt hang. It has nothing to do with your tread pattern or which wheel. Teams around us have tried every combination of wheel and it really has nothing to do with engaging your wheel on the churros.

If the geometry of your drive base is done correctly and your COG is far enough forward (something we struggle with every time we add or remove a mechanism), I'm confident a much less grippy wheel like roughtop on the plastic pyramid would work just as well.


That being said, this is a cool alternative for FRC teams who use treaded wheels. The pattern is much closer to the VexPro W-Cut wheels which is probably the best COTS wheel for traction in the forward/backward direction due to the nature of the horizontal cuts.