Springs on a minibot?

[Mike Ounsworth]

Originally Posted by ThePeracha

Excellent idea. But won't the magnets disrupt both the sensors and the electronics on the minibot?

Who says the mini-bot needs electronics?

What if your mini-bot was a passive cylinder that wraps around the pole and is then launched from a HOST-mounted "crossbow" (or other stored-energy launcher). I get the feeling this isn't in the spirit of the mini-bot, but I don't see anything in the rules specifically forbidding it.

[ThePeracha]

Originally Posted by nighterfighter

I feel like using magnets would only slow you down.

Size =/= power. A small and light magnet can easily be very powerful. However, a magnet powerful enough to latch a 15 lb bot onto a pole would probably disrupt the sensors on the pole and also the electronics on the minibot as well.

[ThePeracha]

Originally Posted by Mike Ounsworth

Who says the mini-bot needs electronics?

What if your mini-bot was a passive cylinder that wraps around the pole and is then launched from a HOST-mounted "crossbow" (or other stored-energy launcher). I get the feeling this isn't in the spirit of the mini-bot, but I don't see anything in the rules specifically forbidding it.

Interesting. However, I see a few problems. If the magnet is powerful enough to attach a minibot onto the pole, won't the electronics be disrupted on the hostbot and the sensors on the pole?

[salman1992]

<G46> MINIBOTS may only be used to climb the TOWER.

I don't know if launching would be allowed.

[AntonOlsen]

Originally Posted by ThePeracha

Interesting. However, I see a few problems. If the magnet is powerful enough to attach a minibot onto the pole, won't the electronics be disrupted on the hostbot and the sensors on the pole?

The magnets will not affect the electronics or sensors in any way unless you are using magnetic reed switches or hall effect sensors.

I've build a few VEX bots that use magnets to climb steel walls and I-Beams and never had a problem with the sensors, electronics, or radios.

[Mustangs]

what if you were to us some sort of rounded magnet attached to a drive motor with another two round magnets, all on seperate axles, so that they are in a triangle shape, would the magnet on the drive motor be able to push that up? or would u need too powerful a motor to be able to go up the pole fast enough?

[Waffles]

Originally Posted by salman1992

<G46> MINIBOTS may only be used to climb the TOWER.

I don't know if launching would be allowed.

Depends on how we interpret "climb".

Here's another thread on the same topic: http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...threadid=88428

On the magnet note, that is a good point about affecting the surrounding electronics XD... forgot about that ~.~

[ThePeracha]

Well, FTC and FRC parts are different, right? Just because the electronics in FTC aren't affected won't mean the electronics from FRC will also hold up.

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by salman1992

<G46> MINIBOTS may only be used to climb the TOWER.

I don't know if launching would be allowed.

That limits what the MINIBOT can do - it's only function is to climb the tower. It doesn't say anything about how that climbing is accomplished.

[gblake]

Folks - Unlees you want to name specific piece of eqmt that is sensitive to magnetic fields, don't worry about their effect on 99.9% of "electronics". There won't be any effect.

[Walker]

Originally Posted by Duke461

also, that would be pretty hard because your minibot has to stay in contact with the pole throughout.
-Duke

Really? Where in the rules does it say this?

[GBIT]

There has also been discussion about launching MINIBOTS here:
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...threadid=88428

[E F]

A note to consider if using springs:
"Teams must be very careful when incorporating springs or other items to store energy on their ROBOT by means of part of material deformation. A ROBOT may be rejected at inspection if, in the judgment of the inspector, such items are unsafe." <R01> under 4.3.1

[Furrah!!]

Do you guys think that using springs for the purpose of clamping the minibot onto the pole would be legal?

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by Furrah!!

Do you guys think that using springs for the purpose of clamping the minibot onto the pole would be legal?

Are springs on the list of approved parts for the MINIBOT?