FTC - Tetrix kit vs. Matrix kit?

[jvriezen]

The rookie FTC team I worked with this past year decided on Matrix. I believe they were the only matrix team at three or maybe even four of the events they attended (two qualifiers, MN State, and Super Regional)

We were not impressed by the Matrix plastic gears and wimpier axles, so ended up getting some parts machined by a local company that allowed us to interface some Matrix motors to Tetrix gears and then AndyMark 4" wheels. It ended up working fairly well (as you can guess by the events we attended)

The plastic push pin rivets do allow for quick prototyping of structures and can be very handy.

[Andrew Rudolph]

Whenever students or other teams ask me for FRC as to using a certain component (usually mecanum drive) I always say to them "look at what you have seen on Einstein"

The same applies to FTC and looking at DaVinci. I dont even think a matrix team got picked at the world championship.

But more so, tetrix has been around for almost a decade now, Matrix only a few years. So there are lots of resources out there when pertaining to using tetrix parts for your bot. Whenever I have held the matrix components they seem to be very...value engineered.

[orangemoore]

Originally Posted by Andrew Rudolph

Whenever students or other teams ask me for FRC as to using a certain component (usually mecanum drive) I always say to them "look at what you have seen on Einstein"

If my team ever gets close to einstein I will make it my life's work that a set of mecanum wheels makes it on to the robot as ballast.

As for the debate here, we don't really use much of the either kit but we use tetrix because we already have the very large inventory. I don't think we will switch unless we have too. I think that as each year passes, less and less will be restricted.

[Andrew Rudolph]

Originally Posted by orangemoore

If my team ever gets close to einstein I will make it my life's work that a set of mecanum wheels makes it on to the robot as ballast.

Yeah Technically there were mecanums there this year in the gripper of 2590 but not in the drive base.

[RRLedford]

Our FTC team 3507 has used only Tetrix kits for 5 seasons now, but with the relaxed material rules of the last 2 years, we are phasing out use of very much of the Tetrix channel in favor of 20mm slotted framing with 10-32 assembly H/W.

As noted, the Tetrix axles are horribly weak and ill suited to high torque with bidirectional rotation. We will not use them for anything but low torque transfer purposes. The hollow 5/8" tube end fitting scheme, though improved with new parts is still not great either.

Tetrix channel is good for quick prototyping. There are also useful tricks, that allow overcoming some of its weaknesses. Some are shown in PICs below:

[Zaque]

Originally Posted by Andrew Rudolph

Yeah Technically there were mecanums there this year in the gripper of 2590 but not in the drive base.

Don't forget 1625's pickup.

[robotsrule]

Robogamers made a video reviewing the Tetrix Kit of Parts as well as building both the tetrix ranger bot and the matrix bot. You can see the two side by side. Here are the links:

Robogamers tetrix kit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDSCy-9WVfA

Tetrix Ranger bot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnt3EVZaCxQ

Matrix Quick Start bot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy4cswZ_Iqk

Some of the other videos may help out your new team members as well.
Hope it helps.