pic: Vacuum System

[Daniel Bathgate]

Originally Posted by Daniel_LaFleur

Why does FIRST (and most FIRSTers) choose to look at pressure and vacuum differently only because it passes an arbitrary position on the scale (chosen because that force is measured at sea level)?

I see your point, but 1 atm pressure is hardly arbitrary (in our standard atmosphere-based game, at least). The gas laws indeed work the same, but negative signs tend to make things practically different. I can't say I personally know much about pneumatics or vacuums, though. Hey, come to think of it, could you use a standard solenoid connected backwards with a vacuum? That might be interesting (and perhaps FIRST illegal, but would it work physically? I guess it would depend on if the pressure of the vacuum was great enough to actuate the solenoids. Hmm...)

Originally Posted by tawnos23

The two closed loops were our 3 second plug solution, as we couldn't seem to find one.

Ah. Didn't think of that since we have many extra plugs floating around but ran out of T's. Whatever works!

Originally Posted by tawnos23

...to limit the pressure to the vacuum generator at about 30 psi, a good working pressure for it according to our pneumatics team's research.

Good to know! I remember playing with the suction cup last year and not having it work very well; I was probably pushing all 60psi through the vacuum. I'll remember that.

I love reading about pneumatics hacks, ever since we kinda-sorta implemented mid positions to try and save our arm last year. Looping the vacuum back through the solenoid is impressively creative... though I wonder if it wouldn't be easier to just hook up a servo to that butterfly valve