pic: Team 1114 - Simbot SS

[rjmah]

Originally Posted by Michael DiRamio

We have two encoders (one on each side, 64 ticks per revolution) and a gyro for feedback on the drive system and there is a 10-turn pot mounted on the arm. The information from the base is fed into a positional system we use to keep track of our location on the field and react appropriately.

The hybrid modes focus mainly on informing the robot what "lane" to be in on the straight-aways (for now!).

Another power-house Simbot. Congrats on Midwest.

Your hybrid looks so smooth to actually be getting lane changes signaled. We're on mechanums this year. We took off our encoders. Except for basic forward, mechanums are somewhat hard to compute the location.

See you at Waterloo.

[Hunter]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

What powers the launcher?

What powers drive? What speed? Is the robot underweight?

Also, can you explain the teaser?

The drive is powered by a 4 CIMs in two AM Gen 1 shifters, with 4"x1" IFI wheels with wedgetop. High gear is approximately 15 fps and low is around 6 fps. The robot is still around 5.5 lbs under weight.

The launcher is powered outwards by several pieces of surgical tubing that can be seen going up the back side of the mast in the picture. The surgical tubing pulls the 3/4" anodized aluminum rod out through linear bearings when the winch is released. The winch is powered by a FP motor in a Dewalt with the backdrive pins left in to keep it retracted. The pulley with the cable on it is engaged and released with a dog similar to the AM shifter. The launcher is fixed to the mast so the angle is always the same and The claw is rotated with the other FP motor with the stock gearbox after a few modifications making it easy to interface with. The roller itself is run off the RS-550 motor and a gearbox made using the gears from the other FP gearbox. We also used lots of wood and a fishing pole on the robot.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by Hunter

The drive is powered by a 4 CIMs in two AM Gen 1 shifters, with 4"x1" IFI wheels with wedgetop. High gear is approximately 15 fps and low is around 6 fps. The robot is still around 5.5 lbs under weight.

The launcher is powered outwards by several pieces of surgical tubing that can be seen going up the back side of the mast in the picture. The surgical tubing pulls the 3/4" anodized aluminum rod out through linear bearings when the winch is released. The winch is powered by a FP motor in a Dewalt with the backdrive pins left in to keep it retracted. The pulley with the cable on it is engaged and released with a dog similar to the AM shifter. The launcher is fixed to the mast so the angle is always the same and The claw is rotated with the other FP motor with the stock gearbox after a few modifications making it easy to interface with. The roller itself is run off the RS-550 motor and a gearbox made using the gears from the other FP gearbox. We also used lots of wood and a fishing pole on the robot.

Wow, High Gear is only 15 fps?!?! I trust your words over my guesstimation any day, but it definitely *seemed* faster than 15fps. What is the reduction in sprockets to the IFI wheels?

Sorry, but you lead to more questions

Where are you using wood and fishing pole? From the picture the only fishing pole obviously visible is the flag holder (not saying I don't believe you, just curious how you used the rest).

[Hunter]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

Wow, High Gear is only 15 fps?!?! I trust your words over my guesstimation any day, but it definitely *seemed* faster than 15fps. What is the reduction in sprockets to the IFI wheels?

Sorry, but you lead to more questions

Where are you using wood and fishing pole? From the picture the only fishing pole obviously visible is the flag holder (not saying I don't believe you, just curious how you used the rest).

The reduction out of the AM to the wheels is 1.25:1 (15:12). Probably just seems faster because of smooth drivers.

The fishing pole is the flag holder, its light, flexible, strong and won't break easily when entangled. The wood is used on both the gripper and main frame. In the gripper, blocks of wood were cut to fit tightly inside the 1"x2" tubes and hammered into the tubes the pivot points to provide reinforcement. This allows us to bolt the shafts on with a lot more strength and reinforce the bearing holes. In the main frame there are blocks of wood cut from 2x4s that fit between the main rails and the outside plates. The wood acts like aluminum standoffs but is far stronger for a similar weight and was attached easily with wood screws. The large size of the blocks of wood gives better stiffness under moment loads than smaller standoffs (very large moment of area) and at ~1/10 the density of aluminum doesn't weigh too much.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by Hunter

The reduction out of the AM to the wheels is 1.25:1 (15:12). Probably just seems faster because of smooth drivers.

The fishing pole is the flag holder, its light, flexible, strong and won't break easily when entangled. The wood is used on both the gripper and main frame. In the gripper, blocks of wood were cut to fit tightly inside the 1"x2" tubes and hammered into the tubes the pivot points to provide reinforcement. This allows us to bolt the shafts on with a lot more strength and reinforce the bearing holes. In the main frame there are blocks of wood cut from 2x4s that fit between the main rails and the outside plates. The wood acts like aluminum standoffs but is far stronger for a similar weight and was attached easily with wood screws. The large size of the blocks of wood gives better stiffness under moment loads than smaller standoffs (very large moment of area) and at ~1/10 the density of aluminum doesn't weigh too much.

Hmmm, that is very interesting. What Kind of wood do you use? How does it compare to other materials used to reinforce tube?

[Hunter]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

Hmmm, that is very interesting. What Kind of wood do you use? How does it compare to other materials used to reinforce tube?

White Cedar. We have also used expanding foam to reinforce other tubes on the robot when we wanted to stiffen the entire length and not a specific section. For reinforcing a specific area the wood works extremely well for its weight. The tighter it fits the better though so some of the blocks were hard to hammer into place. I've used lexan in the past for this function but the weight of it is unnecessary in most applications and the wood works fine. It provides a huge strength advantage over aluminum tubing alone.

[Travis Hoffman]

How much wood would a Simbot chuck if a Simbot could chuck wood?

I 2nd the vote for using wood for reinforcement.

We've been pounding wood into our frames since 2003. It's used primarily in the base of our arm this year where the tilt shaft and drive sprocket attach to the arm.

It also lets you get away with using thinner wall tube material (1.5" square 1/16" wall tubing vs. 1/8", for instance), reinforcing with wood only the areas you need to bolt stuff to.

Anyone care to post a closeup of the firing mechanism? I neglected to take any closeup pics of the more notable bots at Midwest (sorry Pavan!).

[Karthik]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

Also, can you explain the teaser?

No, that one is going to remain a mystery for a while.

[Beth Sweet]

Originally Posted by Karthik

No, that one is going to remain a mystery for a while.

Or at least until Karthik can figure out how to get his head out of the box...

Seriously Simbots, beautiful machine, worked like a dream. Your bot made me think I was at a week 5 regional!

[Brandon Holley]

Karthik,

I would just like to say great job to you and your team. This robot definitely wow-ed me right off the bat. You guys really are a top notch team and I have the upmost respect for you guys. Good luck in the rest of your regionals, and i'll be pulling for you guys at championships to go all the way, you definitely deserve it.

Brando

[fredliu168]

Is this the year simbots win Einstein?

I wouldn't be surprised.

[Tapoore]

Originally Posted by fredliu168

Is this the year simbots win Einstein?

I wouldn't be surprised.

Me neither.

This is definitely my "why didn't I think of that" robot for this year.

Amazing.

[Dan Richardson]

Watching this thing on the webcast two expressions came to mind.

"GENIOUS!"

and

"Wah wah wee wah"
-Borat ( RIP )

[nuggetsyl]

How many over per round did they do?

[Jonathan Norris]

Originally Posted by nuggetsyl

How many over per round did they do?

I think I've seen them do 7 in one match (actually this match), my guess is that their average per match is closer to 4-5.