Team 343 OFFICIAL unveil

[Tottanka]

This video doesn't really show how you guys will do with a trailer on your back...it has come to my atention that swerve drive systems are not that useful strafing due to the trailer...

[teampronto]

Kick. $@#$@#$@#. That's awesome.

[hipsterjr]

As I told you earlier, I LOVE IT. I hope your pit is next to ours again . see you in a couple weeks!

[cziggy343]

Originally Posted by Tottanka

This video doesn't really show how you guys will do with a trailer on your back...it has come to my atention that swerve drive systems are not that useful strafing due to the trailer...

last night when i did the video, we did drive it with a trailer... i just didn't get any good video of it. i decided just to show the scoring. we really dont have much of a problem moving with a trailer, it just that we cant turn as quickly from the still position. but besides that, its fine

[GaryVoshol]

I see a minor problem with the bumpers. You've got a bevel going into the ball collector - I don't think that is allowed. There is no provision in <R08> for having partial pool noodles except for going around corners.

Otherwise a very nice looking machine. I don't know how many of you were around back in 2003. You were in the Embassy Suites in Houston when my daughter's FLL team went to the World Festival. We were very impressed by the behavior of the team.

[cziggy343]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

I see a minor problem with the bumpers. You've got a bevel going into the ball collector - I don't think that is allowed. There is no provision in <R08> for having partial pool noodles except for going around corners.

even though we have a beveled edge, we have more than six inches there, so i dont think that it matters. if somebody can tell me otherwise, that would be nice =]

[EricH]

Conversely, Gary, I can't find anything saying that you can't have beveled ends in other places than the corners, provided that you've got more than 6" in the segment without the bevel.

Another for Q&A, I guess. It shouldn't be too hard to fix, if it is an issue.

[cziggy343]

Originally Posted by EricH

It shouldn't be too hard to fix, if it is an issue.

thanks and no... it wouldn't be that hard... just cut a little bit off

[Metalhugginman]

Since the newer video is more "up-to-date" I have removed mine from YouTube in favor of yours. Good job, Cziggy. Good luck to all teams this year.

[cziggy343]

Originally Posted by Metalhugginman

Dear Cziggy:
Since my video was not up to your standards, I will exhibit gracious professionalism and remove it from YouTube. That way, you won't have to "trash" me on the discussion board as you did in your first comment.
Good luck to all teams this year.

gil, it wasn't your video-ing skills, it was the fact that the robot was terrible at that point in time... it wasn't a crack on you, i promise

[Duane Card]

Originally Posted by Tottanka

This video doesn't really show how you guys will do with a trailer on your back...it has come to my atention that swerve drive systems are not that useful strafing due to the trailer...

Tottanka,

Other videos do show the effectiveness of this years drive train with the trailer during the scrimmage. This is not your normal Swerve drive system. It is a hybrid of swerve / skid and a couple of other programing goodies thrown in with a flip of a switch at the operator controls.

[brentmcjunkin]

Well i did not get to see it till this morning sick is all i can see and it is not just swerve it is skwid drive baby looks good to the rest of 343

[JesseK]

We found that a hybrid version of strafing allows the robot to turn ALOT faster due to the trailer. If the rear 2 wheels are oriented transverse to the direction of movement, while the front two wheels remain parallel to movement, the trailer whips around faster than you can say 'booya'.

Typical transverse strafing still has it's uses.

'Vector' drive, where you're always strafing and never turning, doesn't have much use we've found. The trailer weight and the drive wheels' low cof really prohibit movement along the diagonals.