Robot Cart Questions from a rookie team

[sanddrag]

I once had plans to make a very fancy robot cart but then one of our engineers said "it would be better to bolt on a few good handles onto the frame than to make a cart for it" While I don't necessarily agree with that completely, it is definitely something to think about. If you can have something like a high gear in a shifting transmission or a drivetrain disconnect or a couple fixed caster wheels on the robot then it is very easy to push or pull.

I think carts tend to get in the way and a lot of room when the robot isn't on them.

[TheAnsweris42]

I had an idea at one of our brainstorming sessions the other day that we might find an old hospital gurney(sp?) to use as our cart. I mean, the robot weight limit this year is 120, and theres no way the robot, even with battery and acessories, will weigh 300 lbs, right? Since I'm sure hospitals need to roll heavy people around on those things at some point, they ought to be rated for the weight

[Sean Schuff]

Our team has a cart made from unistrut aluminum. It has swivel casters in the back and fixed casters in the front which makes maneuvinering it very easy for one person. We've also got a flip-up table/workbench with a plot of the gamefield on it. The plot is covered with polycarb so we can color on it with dry erase markers and do field-side strategy if we choose. There is also a spot that holds four foldable camp chairs - sometimes the wait in the queing line can get loooooong! In addition it has three drawers for storing:
- a simple set of hand tools for those field side fixes
- critical spare parts in case a problem is discovered in the pre-match check
- a can of freeze spray to keep the motors from getting too unruly
- a flashlight (sometimes the queing area at a venue is dark)
- a game manual and ALL updates - for those quick checks of the rules
- a few other miscellaneous items like zip ties, electrical tape, etc.

One modification we are making this year is to replace our solid rubber wheels with pneumatic wheels. We had a heartbreaking match at nationals last year where our arm was stuck in one position. When we did the troubleshooting back in the pits we found that a wire had come loose in our operator control box. It turns out that the ride between the pits and the field is rough and the solid rubber wheels did not provide enough cushion to protect our controls.

Make sure your cart is versatile enough to accomodate changing robot designs from year to year yet has the functionality you need for field-side maintenance.

Happy cart building!

Sean

[Greg Needel]

Originally Posted by TheAnsweris42

I had an idea at one of our brainstorming sessions the other day that we might find an old hospital gurney(sp?) to use as our cart. I mean, the robot weight limit this year is 120, and theres no way the robot, even with battery and acessories, will weigh 300 lbs, right? Since I'm sure hospitals need to roll heavy people around on those things at some point, they ought to be rated for the weight

i know that team 340 has used a hospital gurney for a few years now...you can see a pic here http://team340.katenordland.com/albu...3/117_1726.jpg

[Wheelman]

is there anything against a ride on cart?

[Cowmankoza]

Originally Posted by Wheelman

is there anything against a ride on cart?

most likely they wouldnt aprreciate it as it may be considered a safety issue