Pulling Cars

[funstuff]

624 has had two robots with very strong drive trains.

Our 2002 robot (Tankbot) pulled a car in a parking lot. Unfortunately there is no record of this. Here is the five wheeled tank in an unfinished state:


Our 2006 shooter robot had an unbelievable amout of traction (neoprene coated wheels, which ended up not being the best idea). Here it is pulling Kyle (~135lbs across carpet, low gear, full contact).

In addition, here it is pulling Mr. Pramik, one of our mentors that year (~250lbs across carpet, low gear, full contact).

Those might not be the same as pulling a truck, but there is a whole lot more friction to overcome.

[Protronie]

Originally Posted by EricLeifermann

My sophomore year on team 93 at the championship in Houston; after we didn't get picked we pulled a 18 wheeler with trailer around the parking lot of the Astrodome with our bot.

Now thats pulling power!

Where was your robot when I paid $350.00 to have my rig towed less than five miles?

[Sean Schuff]

Originally Posted by Protronie

Now thats pulling power!

Where was your robot when I paid $350.00 to have my rig towed less than five miles?

Actually, Eric is a bit mistaken. We pulled a semi tractor without the trailer. We did pull a Ford F350 with our team trailer hooked up behind it. We've got video footage of it on our school's server. I'll put it on our team's website and post a link to it on Monday.

In all honesty, the only issues are having enough weight on the robot and enough traction from the wheels to the ground. As it turns out, just about any rubbery material will grip asphalt very well. Then all you need to do is overcome the resistance of what you are trying to pull and once the vehicle (or whatever you pulling) is moving it is fairly easy for the robot to keep it going.

I like the idea of a tractor pull with robots. Could this be an IRI event in 2008??

Sean

[Cooley744]

We haven't pulled much w/ our robots. On the other hand, it's really fun to stand on our older robots and ride around. Sometimes we chase people too, (but only as a joke). DONT USE ROBOTS FOR EVIL!!!

[Sean Schuff]

As promised...

This is video from 2003 when our robot towed an F350 and our team trailer along with a few other vehicles.

http://www.aasd.k12.wi.us/Tesla/firs...2003Movies.htm

Like I said before, its not as tough as you'd think.

Sean

[Qbranch]

NICE!

-q

[mtaman02]

You guys have way too much time on your hands =). Good to see the 2003 robot still going strong.

[Chris Fultz]

Originally Posted by Sean Schuff

I like the idea of a tractor pull with robots. Could this be an IRI event in 2008?? Sean

I have actually had that on a "would be cool" list for a few years.
They make small sleds for use with 'person powered" tractor pulls.

if we only had a little more time......

[Richard Wallace]

Originally Posted by Chris Fultz

I have actually had that on a "would be cool" list for a few years.
They make small sleds for use with 'person powered" tractor pulls.

if we only had a little more time......

Robot tractor pulls might make good entertainment at IRI.

Congratulations on your 931st post, Chris. (My favorite number!)

[lukevanoort]

Originally Posted by Chris Fultz

I have actually had that on a "would be cool" list for a few years.
They make small sleds for use with 'person powered" tractor pulls.

if we only had a little more time......

Although it's not as exciting or interesting, a bathroom scale on a solid wall and a patch of carpet could be used for the same purpose. If another scale is added for weighing robots, you could then pull coefficient of friction numbers instead of raw pushing force, which would make the 5 & 6 foot weight classes able to compete. The downside being, of course, the pushing power competition is not a spectator sport.

[KTorak]

I've gotta try this with our 2006 Tank (nickname) robot...I bet it could pull at least a car.

[andrew348]

Team 348's 2006 robot, "The Commander", with 12 wheels, pulled a 87' Dodge Dakota. It could have pulled more, but the wheels and hopper are not connected, but all connected to a metal rod. The wheels were moving so much, that they could not keep a grip when we added a 2002 Chevy Avalanche. Our 2007 robot could do it, but with an eight of an inch clearance, it bottoms out very easily.