Ramps/Climbing the Platform

[Jon Stratis]

It seems to me that any system sufficient enough to take your robot onto a 20 inch high platform is going to be just as complicated (or more so!) as a system to grab the bar and hang. Even if you try to go from the bump to the platform, that's still a good 6-8 inches, and most likely not an easy task, especially with the bumpers in the way.

For those trying to decide which is easier, hanging or platform... Just know that we have an amazingly simple mechanism that gets us hooked and elevated quickly while only using 1 CIM and no other motors.

[MrForbes]

Did anyone else notice the rollers on the TOWER drawings? Fun stuff!

[Travis Hoffman]

Originally Posted by squirrel

Did anyone else notice the rollers on the TOWER drawings? Fun stuff!

Ahh, so that's what those horizontal bars mounted above the tunnel openings at platform level were. I thought they were fixed in place.

I see no reference to them in the Arena document. Has there been any significant discussion of these items on Chief? Seems like a pretty important element of the platform/tower to consider.

Can anyone point out an existing online photo of the official kickoff field tower that shows these rollers up close?

[jts]

Originally Posted by eagle33199

It seems to me that any system sufficient enough to take your robot onto a 20 inch high platform is going to be just as complicated (or more so!) as a system to grab the bar and hang. Even if you try to go from the bump to the platform, that's still a good 6-8 inches, and most likely not an easy task, especially with the bumpers in the way.

The idea was to create a system that could score 8 points, 2 for getting our robot on top of the platform and 6 more for having two additional robots supported by our 'bot above the plan of the platform (via a ramp extending towards the center of the field). It is thought by many on the team that 8 points would be sufficient to win many matches, if not most.

As for the rollers on the tower structure, we would be accessing the platform from the bump under current designs.

[Bruceb]

Rollers? Where?
Bruce

[jts]

They're called for in document GE-10029_revB.

[aldaeron]

Originally Posted by jts

The idea was to create a system that could score 8 points, 2 for getting our robot on top of the platform and 6 more for having two additional robots supported by our 'bot above the plan of the platform (via a ramp extending towards the center of the field). It is thought by many on the team that 8 points would be sufficient to win many matches, if not most.

As for the rollers on the tower structure, we would be accessing the platform from the bump under current designs.

So you are talking about a ramp that holds two 38" long robots that each weight 150 lbs back to back on a long ramp? I assume you are planning to be a herding bot of some sort since you will not have much weight left to do anything else

I would look at three things:

1) How heavy of a ramp you need to support the two bots (realize the first bot is 150lbs*19in = 2850 in-lbs and the second is 150lbs*53in = 7950in-lbs) PLUS the weight of the ramp?

2) I realize you only have to lift and hold one inch, but will the motors (even with high gearing) be able to put out that much torque?

3) What will keep the robot from teetering over? If you clamp to the vertical bars as a support, how will you actuate that clamping (do you have enough motors left after using most of them to lift the ramps?)? Also, how long will it take to get setup? 20 sec? 30 sec?

Seems like a good plan to get 8 points consistently if designed correctly. But what if the other bots can't get to you at the end of the game for whatever reason?