FORKLIFT HELP?

[Molten]

Originally Posted by woogit

I recomend 80/20.
good stuff.

http://www.8020.net/

It works great for a frame or something stationary. But we had a lousy time lifting the weight last year for our arm and it was all 80/20. That stuff gets pretty heavy so beware.

[jferrara]

Hey guys, our team is incorporating a forklift design into our robot. We are unsure of what material to use, since 80/20 might be too heavy and will cause us to tip over. We need to support the ball and a rather large manipulator, which would potentially require a strong and sturdy elevation system. Has anyone used any material in the past that has been effective and fast? Thanks in advance.

[Molten]

Aluminum tubing works well. However it does have a major obstacle to overcome. As with all aluminum, you must overcome the fact that it likes to gum up when being rubbed up against itself. You would have to design some sort of system to make them roll properly. Perhaps someone else has a better suggestion, but this is just something that I would look into until they do. It might really work well for you. Also, lubrication will not make up for the gumming up of the aluminum.