AndyMark Performance Wheels

[Cory]

Originally Posted by Tytus Gerrish

only if you have the equipment to do it. Namely the proper size drill, reamer ir adjustable boring bar. and then of course the clamping hardware to hold it Dead center for a proper concentric hole.

So in effect Mr. Jimmy on team XXX with No Lathe, Mill Tooling, or Indicator to even be able to center it on a drill press cant just bore it out

You could do it on a drill press if you were very careful. Even if you weren't all that careful, you could get close enough that it'd still work.

Assuming you have a drillpress--chuck up a length of 1/2" hex shaft. Slide wheel onto shaft, and clamp in place on the table. Unchuck the hex shaft, get out your drill, and have at it.

[clean399]

Ok these wheels are nothing compared to what you can have done if you get help from a machinist who will do work for discount. You can have any pattern on your wheels or even yes we have wanted to try it spinners. I am sorry to say we won't have them this year. Our wheels will be 6 in dia and 2 in wide and only weigh .6 lbs.

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by clean399

Ok these wheels are nothing compared to what you can have done if you get help from a machinist who will do work for discount.

This is true. However, I think you're ignoring the opportunity costs involved. I could get a machinist to do wheels for me, but I could also have them fabricating parts for my Super-Secret Widget of Graciously Professional Doom. If I had the funds to get the AndyMarks and they did what I needed to do, then why not order them and save some time and wear on my machinist? (Just as it's often easier to get a $250 donation than a $25,000 one, it's often easier to get someone to do "just some quick drilling" as opposed to "mill these 42 wheels with this intricate pattern".)

[sanddrag]

I see it like this. With AndyMark, you aren't just buying robot parts, you're buying time. And last time I checked, time is a difficult thing to find more of.

[Tom Bottiglieri]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

I see it like this. With AndyMark, you aren't just buying robot parts, you're buying time. And last time I checked, time is a difficult thing to find more of.

You're also selling away the experience of doing it for yourself. I guess it depends on what your goals and values are.

[Andy Baker]

Originally Posted by Tom Bottiglieri

You're also selling away the experience of doing it for yourself. I guess it depends on what your goals and values are.

For many teams, it is not a matter of goals or values, but rather resources. They want to compete against teams who have these resources, so we are offering that opportunity.

-----

Update:

1. Give me another day or two to decide if we will do 8" versions of this wheel
2. For the finished product, we are having some deburring issues, so they are being tumbled. Therefore, the final finish is not as shiny. Of course, teams can buff these up as they wish. <edit... this is now not the case... we will not be tumbling these wheels... they will be sent out with a milled shiny surface, but there may be a few sharp corners>

Andy B.

[Tom Bottiglieri]

Originally Posted by Andy Baker

For many teams, it is not a matter of goals or values, but rather resources. They want to compete against teams who have these resources, so we are offering that opportunity.

Just playing devil's advocate..

I usually vouch to buy as many off the shelf components as possible, but I know many people who are opposed to this idea and its place in this (what they believe to be educational) program. Many of these people have little to no voice on these forums.

[waialua359]

Andy,
I hope you can make the 8" wheels.
For us, it is about saving time. Its true that there is value in building your own, but not at the expense of time for us. There are some parts that we can make but others we just dont have the time and resources for. We have students make a few things and as time runs out, we help them along the way. The goal is to have them build as much as possible.
Our team robots have consistently been about 90% student built and 10% mentor assisted.

[Lil' Lavery]

Any chance in the more distant future we may see performance wheels with different tread sizes as well?

[Andy Baker]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

Any chance in the more distant future we may see performance wheels with different tread sizes as well?

If the distant future means for the 2008 season, then maybe. We are definitely not ready for various widths for 2007. So... no for 2007.

Andy

[Andy Baker]

Another update on the 8" Performance Wheel:

We will sell an 8" version, but only one style. This will have a 1/2" hex bore and a 1" tread width, just like the 6" version. Our price will be $78 each. These will not be ready until kickoff (Jan. 6th).

Also, we have new direction for the finish of these wheels. We have decided to leave the slightly sharp edges in tact and NOT tumble these. The mindset here is to let the teams clean up the few sharp edges as they wish, and not have to deal with the tumbled finish (unless I can find a way to tumble and polish these at the same time).

So.. in summary, we will do an 8" version of the existing 6" wheel. Both will have the 1/2" hex hole. Teams can add bearing holes if they choose.

I've gotten much input on this product, and we appreciate the feedback. We are trying to respond to what the teams are wanting to have.

Andy B.

[Madison]

Originally Posted by Andy Baker

Another update on the 8" Performance Wheel:

We will sell an 8" version, but only one style. This will have a 1/2" hex bore and a 1" tread width, just like the 6" version. Our price will be $78 each. These will not be ready until kickoff (Jan. 6th).

Andy,

Any idea when we can expect to see ANSI#25 sprockets and the new gearboxes that you've mentioned elsewhere?

[Greg Needel]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

Any chance in the more distant future we may see performance wheels with different tread sizes as well?

you could always buy 2 wheels and put them next to each other for a 2in option. Or reduce the tread thickness on the wheel, with 2 wheels mounted right to eachother and varying thickness of tread on the wheels you could do any variation of thickness between 0 -2 inches.

[Lil' Lavery]

Originally Posted by Greg Needel

you could always buy 2 wheels and put them next to each other for a 2in option. Or reduce the tread thickness on the wheel, with 2 wheels mounted right to eachother and varying thickness of tread on the wheels you could do any variation of thickness between 0 -2 inches.

I know, but I was just curious if AM was going to produce actual varying sizes.


As for the 8" wheel, I'm excited. 116 has used 8" wheels each of the past two years, and there's a strong chance that we're going to be using them in 2007, so these look to be a good option for us, especially as previously the only off the shelf 8" wheel that could serve as a high traction wheel was from IFI (not dissing the IFI wheel, but competition is always good).