The Barrier Thread

[the man]

I think he was being slightly sarcastic.

[Alex.q]

If you had 6 inch wheels, you would still be able to drive up the rail like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qWYAOGZVM4
Not necessarily recommending it, but it is using small wheels to drive up a large obstacle.

If one was to use Gates belts, would tensioning them be a problem when the barrier pushed into them?

I think high centering could be a large problem. Could this be solved if you had a convex bottom part of your frame so it had a turtling effect (not stable so it doesn't balance when resting on the frame between the wheels)?

[PAR_WIG1350]

Originally Posted by Alex.q

If one was to use Gates belts, would tensioning them be a problem when the barrier pushed into them?

If anything, it would increase tension, possibly to the point of failure. Technically, this would be a "tensioning problem", but not the one people normally think of, also, it could easily be reduced by adding idlers to the belts where they are exposed so that the belt is pushed into the idler rather than into nothingness.

[krazyman1013]

Go on the bump at an angle with 6" wheels and you can clear the bump without damage.

[Ninja_Bait]

Can you clarify and demonstrate that, please?

[dez250]

I'm putting it out there and betting the majority of teams who weren't around for 2004 who try to climb over the barrier will end up like below.



You need to plan for worst case scenario, other robots contacting you and obstacles in your way as you try to traverse the barrier, if you choose to go that way. Trying to cross the barrier in your lab in a best case scenario would be as effective to your team as practicing your robot shooting at the hoops using a football.

Oh and for those of you who think you will not have damage to your robot if you just try to plow over the barrier at high speed, I suggest you do a real world simulation of this. Go find yourself some road hazard strips like this (or a simple curb) and feel the result of going over those even at 10 MPH. I think you will be surprised at the second thoughts you might have at just plowing into the barrier then.

[sanddrag]

Originally Posted by dez250

Oh and for those of you who think you will not have damage to your robot if you just try to plow over the barrier at high speed, I suggest you do a real world simulation of this. Go find yourself some road hazard strips like this (or a simple curb) and feel the result of going over those even at 10 MPH. I think you will be surprised at the second thoughts you might have at just plowing into the barrier then.

Well, automobiles have a suspension typically, and honestly driving fast over most normal speed bumps works just fine. I'm not so sure I'd do it with a curb, at least not in my own car.

[thejoker2605]

We are thinking that with big enough wheels the barrier shouldn't be to rough. I think it will be important to avoid traffic jams at the bridges but not important enough to warrant another system.