"Cheap" Robot parts

[Raul]

I guess I should have elaborated a little more on my suggestion to use a bronze bushing. You may get away with not using oil for some time when a bronze bushing is used for a steel (or maybe some other hard metal) shaft. But I know from experience that you must use additional oil if used for an aluminum shaft. And if you use an aluminum shaft with a bushing, you should try to stay away from using it for high RPM applications.

Raul

[Sachiel7]

Ok, here's a quick question guys. We took our pre-season vote to go ahead with my "standard" drive design (yay!)
But it was brought up that the idle shaft's bearings could be replaced with bronze bushings, at a cheaper cost.
I'll be honest here, I've never used bushings before. What's involved with them? From what I understand you need a housing block of sorts for them.
Anyway, I have 2 idle shafts. They dont spin, they provide support for the wheels and chassis. Would it be better to replace the bearings they are on with bushings?
Also, where can you find good, cheap bushings? I checked MSC and had trouble finding some.
I need 4 (one for each support point) and they need to be for 5/8 shaft (I think it's steel) and need an outside diameter no larger than 1 inch.
If someone could help me out, that'd be great. Currently, we have several 4-bolt flange bearings we're using, and they're around $26 each. So, having some of those trimmed off for bushings should help a bit, i'd suspect.
But I don't want to deal with this thing falling apart at competition. We want it to last.

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by Tytus Gerrish

so, i guess im asking what parts, or manufactoring methods do others use to cut costs:?:

There are always alternative ways to do things. Sometimes, the less expensive solution will be adequate, sometimes it won't.

I advocate looking at multiple ways for doing things, and pick the least expensive that does the job.

In the drive system, throw money at it. Bearings, good gears, high quality fabrication. Because, if it doesn't work, the consequences are enormous. And you just don't know in advance how much abuse the thing will have to withstand.

On other systems, you might be able to get away with bushings instead of bearings (or at least cheap bearings), lighter weight materials instead of steel, OTS Home Depot/Lowe's type parts.

I'll give away one "secret" for free for the coming year. Rules permitting, we plan to use hexagonal shafting on all rotational drive parts. After the failed or nearly failed key ways in so many of our shafts last year, we're not taking chances.