pic: 2011 Team 498 Robot

[Tytus Gerrish]

mad Props
all the framework is there.
The team will have plenty of time to code, practice driving, and perfect your mini-bot.

[Grim Tuesday]

How does it score?

[AllenGregoryIV]

I like the pneumatics mounting that is looks really good.

How long do wires to the power distribution board have to be? It seems like an odd place for it because I don't see how you will mount your battery near it.

[Cactus_Robotics]

Scoring will be a arm that the students were finishing sat night. Pics to follow in a few days. The lower tier is dedicated for the mini bot deployment system. Also 90% Of wiring is already completed.

[JDL]

Originally Posted by Cactus_Robotics

Also 90% Of wiring is already completed.

Really? News to me

Originally Posted by AllenGregoryIV

How long do wires to the power distribution board have to be?

They are gonna be long when all is said and done. No big deal, nothing a couple of hypress barrel splices can't take care of.

[Tom Line]

Out of curiosity, have you done some tests with the window motors? They have a nasty tendency to lose torque quickly when they warm up, and their plastic worm gears tear apart quite readily. We used one to move our 36 inch arm last year and it broke several times.

[Cactus_Robotics]

Originally Posted by AllenGregoryIV

I like the pneumatics mounting that is looks really good.

How long do wires to the power distribution board have to be? It seems like an odd place for it because I don't see how you will mount your battery near it.

the battery will be mounted on that front plywood plate. They were drilling the batterybox mount holes when I took this pic.

[whackedwatchdog]

I'm curious, in the final design, will you be using only two CIMs for your drivetrain? Will the other two be used (needed?) for the arm? Looking at the picture (the angle makes it a little difficult to tell), it looks like only the front (I guess?) wheels are powered, are you leaving the omni wheels unpowered? If so, why?

[Cactus_Robotics]

Originally Posted by whackedwatchdog

I'm curious, in the final design, will you be using only two CIMs for your drivetrain? Will the other two be used (needed?) for the arm? Looking at the picture (the angle makes it a little difficult to tell), it looks like only the front (I guess?) wheels are powered, are you leaving the omni wheels unpowered? If so, why?

we are using four cims for drive and using the toughboxes all four wheels are chained. The arm will be using 2 window motors linked together to allow the arm to stay in place and 2 pneumatic cylinders for arm extension and control

[whackedwatchdog]

That sounds great, then, and clears up the only confusion that I saw. Thanks!

[cmass]

CG looks a lot higher than I would like.

[bobosalad]

its nice to be able to compare... Right now our teams seem to be in similar stages. Solid design. Is everything hand welded and cut?

[Cactus_Robotics]

Originally Posted by bobosalad

its nice to be able to compare... Right now our teams seem to be in similar stages. Solid design. Is everything hand welded and cut?

Yes. All cut and welded in a fellow mentors garage. The tower is actually made from a thin grade stainless steel. Ended up being lighter and stronger than a thicker grade aluminum.