6 wheel drive with chain tensioners and shifting

[Edoc'sil]

1. It is preference, it seems to lave a bit more room for other things like electronics and a manipulator.

2. Omnis in the corners plactions in the middle. We would mount heavy components in the middle (battery, compressor) and that combined would the low side to side friction omnis should make us pivot around our center, because you are absolutely right to suggest to make the robot pivot around its COA.

3. Faster then 14 fps? 14 is a jump up from what we did last year, but if other people feel the same I will certainly look at implementing it.


A question then? what kind of fps do people aim for when they are designing a DT?

[nnfuller]

Well having only driven in two years of FRC, I can only speak limitedly on speed. However, when designing a robot you have to look at what you want it to do so the speed you want may be determined by the game... but in my experience, 4 CIMs can easily drive a 6 wheel drive train at about 16 fps, and if your shifting you really don't need to worry about lots of torque in high gear. Especially with the four omni's giving you almost no resistance to turning. In one of our off season bots we had it so that we limited speed through software and we could pull both triggers to open up the full 100% of the speed. Your sacrificing weight for Supershifters, use them to their complete advantage.
Also, Servo or pneumatic shifting?

[Edoc'sil]

Pneumatics, servos suck. With the gearbox being a direct drive I don't think I will try to squeeze out the extra foot or two per second, the best i could do would be change the gearbox from a 9 to 1 to a 7.5 to 1, and that is to little of a reduction.

[M.Wong]

If you really want to shed a ton of weight, switch from 80/20 to 1"x1"x1/16" aluminum tubing. You can easily connect pieces using nylon inserts.

[Edoc'sil]

Do you suppose you could post a link? I am not familiar with the inserts.