KOP transmissions: Your turn.

[Andy Baker]

Originally Posted by Paul Copioli

For those of you that care about such things, here are some little known factoids about the KOP transmissions of 2005 - 2006:

3. The gears inside the transmision were manufactured by AndyMark. I think the motor shafts were too.

4. The die cast aluminum housing source was found by AndyMark.

Thanks, Paul, for this clarity. I'll tweak it a bit:

For the 2005 KOP transmissions, AndyMark provided the aluminum faceplate and 3 of the gears. We did not provide the shafts, but we did give a bit of advice on the shaft design. Mark found the casting supplier, as it was a supplier of product castings to Delphi.

Thanks to Paul, IFI and FIRST for this great opportunity that was a large factor in helping our company become sucessful during our first year in 2005.

This is a great discussion. Thanks for starting this thread, Craig.

Andy B.

[Qbranch]

I can vouch for the AM kitbot gearboxes being rock solid. In our tetra bot, we had two FP motors -> two AM planetaries (2005) which fed a single AM kitbot gearbox. This gearbox then fed another AM gearbox... and it held together great for the season.... and for tons of demo's we've done with it 2005 and since.... still going strong!

Also, for a robotics education club I run at a private high school locally, I use the modern AndyMark single speed transmissions... they're rock solid, tough, and EXCELLENT for teaching mechanical advantage (simple and easy to understand for just-starting-out engineers). Not to mention, the pair of robots we have that use these AM transmissions run off road (dusty environment) doing autonomous navigation, no problems at all.

I remember andy was caught off guard when he saw this order come from 1024... wondered why we would be using singe speed gearboxes when we used two speeds the previous year... yeah i can see how that could be confusing.

They're a great product at the right price for educators and all wanting a nice, reliable, inexpensive reduction. Thanks Andy!

-q

[Dick Linn]

I kinda like the old wibbly-wobbly drill motors and gearboxes, where you needed a wing and a prayer to put it together and keep it together. It took a bit of understanding as well as a bit of art to make it all work.

[Doug G]

Originally Posted by Dick Linn

I kinda like the old wibbly-wobbly drill motors and gearboxes, where you needed a wing and a prayer to put it together and keep it together. It took a bit of understanding as well as a bit of art to make it all work.

We talk about how it is extra work for a rookie team to mount the single speed AM Gearbox at its base. I remember our rookie year trying to figure out which is easier to mount, the plastic handle of the drill motor or the FP plastic transmission. My, my, how times have changed.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by dtengineering

P.S. Of course just because there is are existing solutions to a problem does not mean there aren't better ones.

My boss once told me "There is all ways a better solution; Good engineers just know when to stop".

[Richard Wallace]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

My boss once told me "There is all ways a better solution; Good engineers just know when to stop".

This maxim is often stated differently: "Better is the enemy of good enough."