pic: Team 610's 2011 robot design

[Rob Stehlik]

The reason for using an air cylinder instead of a gas spring was because we wanted the arm to swing both ways to pick up on either side of the robot. Most gas springs push instead of pull, and putting one underneath the arm would have caused interference with the arm pivot, limiting the range to less than 180 degrees. Pulling from the back end of the arm allows the cylinder to swing underneath the pivot and then serve to balance the arm when it is facing the other direction.
I have since learned from an 1114 mentor that "pull" gas springs are readily available. Good to know.