Weight Reduction Help.

[Mike Martus]

One of my jobs with FIRST in the past few Years has been inspector at many events. I have seen many machines that look like moths have attacked it, with holes everywhere. You know a team is in trouble when you see several students attacking their machine with hole saws on Thursday. The holes are not to create less wind resistance.

What really needs to be done is "Weight Management". Drilling holes is only a partial answer and only if you are drilling steel. There is very little weight savings with lighter materials.

Look at each sub-system in detail. What supports and brackets are vital and necessary for strength and durability, which can be eliminated? Do you really need a gear made of steel, when a lighter material would work as it is not going to see massive stress?

Do you have extra wire? Cooper is very heavy. Are you using the correct wire gage?

Finally, call a meeting of the leaders of each sub system and give them a target weight they can have or a amount they must loose. Making the final weight is important.