How do you shift??

[Mike Nawrot]

I've started prototyping a 2-speed gear box for next year, which i may expand in different directions, be it more speeds, or brakes, or other functions, it doesn't matter. I need to know how most teams decided to shift gears. Obviously, the most popular solution is a pneumatic cylinder, but I am looking for an alternative, because I do not find the need for pneumatics if they are not being used anywhere else on the robot. I've looked at electronic linear solenoids as a replacement, and i found one type that has the equivalent force of a 7/16 bore pneumatic cylinder at 60 psi. Two problems. 1: the model i was looking at can only be on continuously for 1 minute at a time, which may be an issue if we're in low or high gear for more than a minute at a time, and 2: I'm not sure if linear solenoids are legal in FRC. I will continue researching various linear solenoids, but in the mean time, i would like to keep an open mind about shifting mechanisms. Also, if you find any useful information about linear solenoids, please leave me a link. Thanks.