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Unread 02-02-2009, 14:17
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VEX Robotics Engineer
AKA: Arthur Dutra IV; NERD #18
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Re: We're trying to lose weight...

If you can, replace as many 1/4-20 bolts with smaller bolts as possible. 228 used to use 1/4-20 for everything, since they were easy to pick up at Home Depot. Then I calculated that by dropping to #10/32 for almost everything, we could save almost 3 pounds; now we exclusively use #10/32 button and socket cap head screws.

Lighten the gears in the Toughbox. Turn pockets into them on a lathe, and/or drill six 7/16" or 1/2" holes through them. This can cut their weight in half.



Don't use 4 CIM motors on a drive train. Use 2 CIM motors, and use chain to connect the other wheels. CIM motors weigh 2.75 lbs each.

Take a second look at material choices. You can do a lot with 1/16"-wall aluminum box tubing and 1/16" polycarbonate (Lexan) without breaking the weight budget.

Using pneumatics? Only use one or two accumulators. They weigh a pound each.

Edit: But most importantly, treat this as a weight-per-effort knapsack problem. That is, go after the densest materials first that take the easiest amount of effort to remove a relatively high amount of weight. Then keep working downwards towards the parts where it'll take a lot of effort to only remove a little weight.
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Art Dutra IV
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Robowranglers Team 148 | GUS Robotics Team 228 (Alumni) | Rho Beta Epsilon (Alumni) | @arthurdutra

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Last edited by artdutra04 : 02-02-2009 at 14:20.
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