chrisL: a new Robot store

[chris L]

I'm currently starting a small business that will offer robotics components for FRC team. What type of COTS would everyone be interested in purchasing? With all your help i hope to develop a product line to accommodate everyones needs. We will stride to give everyone a fair and cheap price without compromising quality.

P.S. This business is my own venture and is not affiliated with Team 1114


--Chris

[R.C.]

Chris,

If you made Aluminum gears, I know that team 1323 would buy 500 bucks worth right away. Maybe the same teeth count as AM ones.

-RC

[vivek16]

Chris, I would also be interested in gears but normal steel ones if you had a bit more of a selection than AM has.

thanks, Vivek

[Jared Russell]

Things that would be nice, are not "complete" systems, and are hard to find in FIRST quantities/sizes/weights/prices:

Aluminum gears/pocketed steel gears
Slip rings
Pneumatic brakes/clutches/ratchets
118-style floating idlers (hard rubber or metal) for #25 and #35 chain
Harmonic drive gear boxes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonic_drive - good luck with this one!)
Differentials
Ball-lock shifters
CVTs (dual cone type)
IVTs (planetary gearbox with driven sun and ring gears)
Ball casters that are resistant to debris
Suspension components

[Doug Leppard]

Sell 1114's secrets for winning ):

A lot of us would pay high prices for that.

[Lowfategg]

A complete line of spur gear boxes with a range of ratios (similar to banebots) that can interface with globes, FP, or rs545.

Large tooth count lightened steel gears (or alu), plain bore and hex.

Also I would like to see Ball-lock shifters or at least some other choices.

[Karthik]

Originally Posted by Doug Leppard

Sell 1114's secrets for winning ):

A lot of us would pay high prices for that.

Those are free.

http://www.simbotics.org/workshops

[EricH]

Karthiks

Seriously, though, FP gearbox interface octagons (key or kex bore, various standard sizes) would probably sell pretty well.
lift components (rollers/sliders, custom pre-crimped cable lengths, winches) aren't exactly commonly sold.

[chris L]

For the first while i just want to get a few different gearboxes made.

Currently i have a single speed in the manufacturing process and i have a 2 speed being designed.

http://www.chrisl.biz/home

there is a link to my site it currently is under construnction so it does not have much on it but keep an eye on it i will be updating it.

I plan to have available a single speed and a 2 speed before build season starts

Thanks

--Chris

[Cory]

Originally Posted by vivek16

Chris, I would also be interested in gears but normal steel ones if you had a bit more of a selection than AM has.

thanks, Vivek

I'm not really sure why you wouldn't just buy these from SDP/Martin/Boston/etc?

Do you mean finished gears with keyways, hexes, etc?

Jared: the tensioners you're looking for exist in #35 on McMaster.

[vivek16]

Originally Posted by Cory

I'm not really sure why you wouldn't just buy these from SDP/Martin/Boston/etc?

Do you mean finished gears with keyways, hexes, etc?

Jared: the tensioners you're looking for exist in #35 on McMaster.

I did mean finished gears. Both 3/8 and 1/2 hex would be nice.

-vivek

[AndyB]

Some 3" and 5" wheels would be nice. Hex and Keyed bores.

I'd love to see some commercially available ball-lock shifters. Even a ball-lock 2 speed would be nice to see if it could be sold under $300.

AndyMark has a lot of great products. But a lot of them, like the shifters are pretty expensive. This isn't a rip on AM by any means, but it would be nice to see some competition.

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by AndyB

Some 3" and 5" wheels would be nice. Hex and Keyed bores.

I'd love to see some commercially available ball-lock shifters. Even a ball-lock 2 speed would be nice to see if it could be sold under $300.

AndyMark has a lot of great products. But a lot of them, like the shifters are pretty expensive. This isn't a rip on AM by any means, but it would be nice to see some competition.

Competition in a smaller market is a lot tougher than most people think than it is on a larger level because you don't have volume to compensate for a lower net income. Just a thought....

[AndyB]

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

Competition in a smaller market is a lot tougher than most people think than it is on a larger level because you don't have volume to compensate for a lower net income. Just a thought....

...Never said it was easy. Only said that it would be appreciated.

I agree though. If your goal is to develop a successful business, you need to understand your disadvantages and figure out a way to survive in this kind of market. Even if you can design a cheaper or lighter gearbox than already available, can you sell it for less? Can you maintain a high enough level of quality? Can you handle the demand?

Best of luck to you.

[JesseK]

Differentials
Some sort of adapter for the 6-hole standard pattern seen in FRC wheels such that smaller sprockets may be put on the wheels
Motor mounting plates for popular transmissions including the FP gearbox, BaneBots planetary, and a direct CIM, FP, or BB motor mount.
4" mecanum wheel

Rather than competing with AM on the product line that both Andy and Mark have spent years perfecting, I'd recommmend getting into the game by establishing a foothold in the market in a place they haven't yet explored or by offering a product that is truly superior by design. They're pretty good at doing quality wheels and transmissions, though maybe I'm biased.