Wedge and Solenoids

[archiver]

Posted by Eric Kubo at 2/5/2001 4:13 AM EST


Student on team #668, Titans, from Pioneer High School and NASA Ames.



Two questions:
1. Does anyone think that it is a feasible idea to
use a wedge as a means of raising the bridge (will
it work reliably)?
2. How many solenoids can we use for the
pneumatics?
p.s. we are a rookie team and are somewhat
confused

[archiver]

Posted by Joe Ross at 2/5/2001 5:24 AM EST


Engineer on team #330, Beach Bot, from Hope Chapel Academy and NASA/JPL , J&F Machine, and Raytheon.


In Reply to: Wedge and Solenoids
Posted by Eric Kubo on 2/5/2001 4:13 AM EST:



: 1. Does anyone think that it is a feasible idea to
: use a wedge as a means of raising the bridge (will
: it work reliably)?

This depends on how well your device is designed. It would definetly be possible to make a device that can fit under the bridge, and there are devices in the kit with enough power to raise the bridge. The biggest question is whether you have enough time (or manpower) to do it well in 14 days.

: 2. How many solenoids can we use for the
: pneumatics?

You are only allowed to use the solenoids that were included in the pneumatics kit. This means that you are limited to 2 single solenoids and 1 double solenoid.

: p.s. we are a rookie team and are somewhat
: confused

Don't worry, we were all rookie teams at one point or another. And, we have all been confused multiple times. :-)

[archiver]

Posted by Geli Donut at 2/5/2001 9:43 AM EST


Student on team #141, WO-Bot, from West Ottawa High School and Johnson Controls Inc..


In Reply to: Wedge and Solenoids
Posted by Eric Kubo on 2/5/2001 4:13 AM EST:



: Two questions:
: 1. Does anyone think that it is a feasible idea to
: use a wedge as a means of raising the bridge (will
: it work reliably)?
: 2. How many solenoids can we use for the
: pneumatics?
: p.s. we are a rookie team and are somewhat
: confused
The only problem that you might have with a wedge, is not being able to get under the skirt of the bridge. There is such little clearance, it will be a diffiult feat. If you need more help, just ask. Good Luck!

[archiver]

Posted by Ken Leung at 2/5/2001 5:24 PM EST


Student on team #192, Gunn Robotics Team, from Henry M. Gunn Senior High School.


In Reply to: Wedge and Solenoids
Posted by Eric Kubo on 2/5/2001 4:13 AM EST:



Well the wedge doesn't have to fit under the bridge. Remember those handles on the side of the bridge? If you have a sharp and big enough shape to go under that handle, then you can probably raise the bridge from the side of the bridge. Just push toward it and the handle should slide up because of the wedge shape of the robot. But that will require good driving skills and the robot will have to line up with the bridge pretty well to do it well.

But then again, you don't need to use the handles all the time. One way I suggest is to make a flat and thin piece of steel at the end of your wedge. So just sit next to the bridge, and whenever the bridge comes down, it will land on that flat piece and you won't have to worry about trying to go under the bridge, and also you don't have to line up the robot too well to do this. And so all you have to do is push and the bridge will go up.

But putting the bridge down is a different matter. Maybe your robot is short enough to go under the bar, so you just have to head over to the other side's handle and raise the bridge on that side so the bridge will be lowered this side.

I can totally see robot do this. The wedge robot go over to the other side, and just sits there to raise the bridge so other robots can come over any time, but the bridge will stay lowered on the side of the wedge robot in case any robot needs to go back to the starting side. And whenever robots cross, the bridge will be lowered to the wedge robot side again.

A bonus the wedge robot can do is to help balancing by blocking the bridge from lowering pass the balance point. And then pull out and head for the end zone.