pic: 7.5" tall robot, ready to shoot

[asid61]

Originally Posted by Greg Woelki

A simpler option might be to use the 90 degree rotated ports version of the cylinder (Bimba offers this for their rear pivot cylinders, I'd imagine other manufacturers do as well).

Given that it's already a custom 3.6" stroke cylinder, this is a great option actually.

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by asid61

Given that it's already a custom 3.6" stroke cylinder, this is a great option actually.

Is it really not possible to go to a standard size here? It can't be that hard to add .1" to the length of your ball joint or something.

[asid61]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

Is it really not possible to go to a standard size here? It can't be that hard to add .1" to the length of your ball joint or something.

Because of the tiny packaging and cramped spacers, especially near the shooter/hood, I couldn't make it 3.5" or 4". 3.75" is a custom size anyway, or I would have to use metric. I did try to use a standard size, but the layouts just didn't work out.

[frcguy]

How well would those little read Mecanum wheels on the side of the intake work for directing balls closer to the intake? Do they make a noticeable improvement for ball collection?

[asid61]

Originally Posted by frcguy

How well would those little read Mecanum wheels on the side of the intake work for directing balls closer to the intake? Do they make a noticeable improvement for ball collection?

The balls would get to the bumpers, then get funneled along the bumpers with the mecanums. Most teams used larger mecanums this year, but I know that at least a few teams used very small mecanums. It's possible to bore out the hubs on those and use several mecanums instead of just 2, but I wanted to avoid making custom modifications as much as possible.

[Golfer4646]

With this robot, what would your starting configuration be? (Aka, are you able to hold a boulder, while still being within frame perimeter?)

[asid61]

Originally Posted by Golfer4646

With this robot, what would your starting configuration be? (Aka, are you able to hold a boulder, while still being within frame perimeter?)

I believe I can squeeze a boulder into the intake without leaving the frame perimeter, but not 100% on that. Most likely I would start with the boulder on top of the battery with the hood flipped up, then when the match begins run the shooter backwards to bring it into the robot.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by asid61

Because of the tiny packaging and cramped spacers, especially near the shooter/hood, I couldn't make it 3.5" or 4". 3.75" is a custom size anyway, or I would have to use metric. I did try to use a standard size, but the layouts just didn't work out.

The custom sizes have poor lead times.

You can definitely make this work with a longer or shorter cylinder, don't forget you don't have to actually use the full travel of a cylinder (and can externally set the travel).

You'd want some mechanical adjustment of shooter position anyway so that you're not remaking parts to tune shots (separate from what you can achieve with software).

[asid61]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

The custom sizes have poor lead times.

You can definitely make this work with a longer or shorter cylinder, don't forget you don't have to actually use the full travel of a cylinder (and can externally set the travel).

We ordered custom sizes in 2015 with only around a 2-week turnaround, which isn't great but it's not SDP-SI level either.
All of my trials I did with a layout sketch like you did in your RAMP video (great series BTW). I tried with 3.5" but found that I would be unable to flip the hood to the two positions I wanted, and 4" would make it impossible to mount. If I have changed the place where it attached to the hood, it may have been possible to use a shorter cylinder, only moving the cylinder forward caused an interference with something else while folded.
If I had used a custom cylinder extension rod I would have gone a lot farther, but I figured it would be easier to just order the customs.
I wasn't thinking about the turnaround while I was making this. If I had, I probably would have opted to move the hood-side cylinder mount closer to the hood pivot, even though it would have taken extra layout work.

[Sperkowsky]

Are there any tensioners on the shooter belt that runs through the tube? If so could I get a look at it?

[asid61]

Originally Posted by Sperkowsky

Are there any tensioners on the shooter belt that runs through the tube? If so could I get a look at it?

Yeah, they're in the far side of the tube where you can't see. I'll get a picture up later.