23-01-2005 16:45

Billfred

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

I'm just looking at this thing in disbelief.

Have the Floridians just taken the title as king of the transmission-speed wars?

(Yeah, I know, the thunderchickens had theoretically infinite speeds. Details, details.)

24-01-2005 00:42

miketwalker

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

Wow, scary. UCF Regional should be interesting this year hehe.

24-01-2005 00:44

jgannon

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

Is this for real? Something about that picture is making me want to call shenanigans...

24-01-2005 00:47

Adam Richards

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

He's trying to scare the other teams into deregistering before the tournament!

24-01-2005 00:49

Jeff K.

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

That gearbox is...insane...
Sorta overkill though. For this year, just 2 speed is good. High Speed for when going up and down the field and maybe a lower speed for more torque when carrying the tetra. But that gearbox is awesome, but looks sorta small, i see a person's thumb on top holding the gearbox.

24-01-2005 00:52

sanddrag

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

I have a feeling this is not an original assemblty made for the 2005 spam robot. I think they pulled it out of something else. The only problem with my theroy is I can't think of anything other than a big rig that would have 12 speeds, and in that case that would be a giant's thumb!

24-01-2005 00:54

henryBsick

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

In the caption you specify that it is a 12 speed gearbox and a 3 speed shift on the fly gearbox. Is the 12 speed also shift on the fly... or does it have 12 predetermined speeds in which you can select 1 of those before a match?

24-01-2005 00:56

Billfred

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

There's no three-speed pictured there. At least no three-speed that looks like anything I've ever seen...

24-01-2005 01:10

russell

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

I am thinking he means it is kind of like a bicycle. Sort of. Without actually studying the picture I am guessing that he means that they can select any one of four ranges of gearing with the bot stopped, then when they are running they can select one of three settings within that range. Or maybe the other way around. Now that I think about it, it really doesnt have anything to do with a bicycle, but whatever.

24-01-2005 02:31

jgannon

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

I think he's talking about two separate things. There's this alleged 12-speed box, and there's a three-speed SOTF box. They claim that they are trying to decide between them, but I call shenanigans.

24-01-2005 02:34

russell

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

Oh, ok. I didnt read the caption, and our team doesnt do gearboxes. Our highest precision tool is a sawzall, because our wood bandsaw, wont seem to cut straight through aluminum. It works ok through thin steel though (having a wood blade on really helps!)

24-01-2005 09:12

henryBsick

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

I did mean two seperate things... a twelve speed... and a three speed shift on the fly. Now that I think about it I am also calling "shenanigans" I don't see a four speed necessary let alone a twelve speed, it is ridiculous over-kill. Good try SPAM guys. Probably the best teaser I have seen yet.

-Henry

24-01-2005 10:06

Gary Dillard

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

I can neither confirm nor deny any knowledge of this, except:

1) I have seen and touched it
2) This is a true 12 speed gearbox.
3) You can barely see the bronze shifting mechanism in the shadows in the back. We wouldn't want to give EVERYTHING away.
4) One of our sponsors (the one who owns a machine shop) now has a son on the team and apparently has time to tinker.
5) The "Jones&Jones" 3 speed shift on the fly gearbox is equally as sweet.

24-01-2005 13:00

nuggetsyl

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

maybe i am stuck in the past but why would you need to have more then a 2 speed transmission. the field is not that long

24-01-2005 13:08

Gary Dillard

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

because..... it's really cool to have one.

24-01-2005 13:14

Dan Richardson

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

lol I call shenanigan as well, I bet they're still going w/ holonomic heh.. this is either and amasingly awesome gearbox, or its taken out of something that has around 12 speeds..

like a blender, or a giant egg beater.. or maybe some other sort of kitchen appliance.


:-P

24-01-2005 15:37

Tom Bottiglieri

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

4 speed is good, but 12 is overkill.

It is trying to achieve CVT like performance, but at the speeds these robots move, it would spend too much time shifting to come anywhere near the efficiency of a CVT.

24-01-2005 15:44

henryBsick

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

You still never specified if the 12 speed was a shift on the fly...urgh
/anxious

24-01-2005 15:49

Arefin Bari

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

Notice what he said for number 5 ("3 speed shift on the fly gearbox is equally as sweet).

I know team 180 (SPAM) pretty well. They have always built a simple machine which dominates at the competition. they are not that crazy to do a 12 speed transmission. They are doing a 3 speed transmission which shifts on fly. Thanks for giving it out Gary.

- Arefin.

24-01-2005 16:58

Gary Dillard

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

And if you know Arefin well, you know that he's pretty good at propogating our misinformation. Is he telling the truth, or just stoking the fire? Probably should move this thread to the rumor mill - I guess we'll wait and see what shows up on the robot.

24-01-2005 17:30

tiffany34990

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

well I can't say much either but I will say just as Dillard has: I've seen it, touched and and looked at it. S.P.A.M. is just wonderful what can I say. 12 speeds yeah we have nothing better to do with our time along with many other projects we do in the fall.
So yeah 12 speeds seems a bit much but hey it's us Speed Power and Maneuverability that's what S.P.A.M. is all about.

24-01-2005 21:29

jimfortytwo

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

I'm a bit confused by the number twelve. With the most common shifting designs, you'd expect a 2^n number of gear ratios. But... 2 x 2 x 2 = twelve? They'd have to be doing something pretty ingenious.

24-01-2005 21:47

Max Lobovsky

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

Maybe those are the most common shifting designs in the FIRST world, but when you look at the much larger world of engineering, there are numerous 5 and 6 speed car transmissions and I believe 18-wheelers have 12 speeds.

24-01-2005 23:36

henryBsick

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

I am still sticking with this... The 12 speed is not meant to be used in competition. And somehow IF it were it is NOT a shift on the fly...or shift at all for that matter. It would be a pre-match selectable gear. The three speed shift on the fly IS their gearbox for the drive tain. PERIOD

-Henry

25-01-2005 13:30

EricS-Team180

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

Henry, it truly is a 12 speed shift-on-the-fly gearbox...we aren't kidding about that. The designer (Cory Littles) had the inner works of a grandfather's clock in mind when he designed it. It has been tested on a chassis.

Gary DID say this thread might be ripe for the rumor mill (But seriously now, would S.P.A.M spread rumors? )

...Arefin, have you been spying?!?!

25-01-2005 13:36

tkwetzel

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

Did it work well? What motors were you using and how fast could you go in the lowest and highest gears? Can't you share a little more information?

27-01-2005 12:44

EricS-Team180

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

Ok, I think this teaser has run its course.

The gearbox was built by Cory and his uncle for a "Barbie car" design they have been experimenting with. It can carry a pre-k child ~50lb. The front wheels steer and they've tried several combinations of all-wheel drive, by using 1 and 2 of these gear boxes. Cory tells me he powered it with a "big" RC car motor. The car is currently torn down and is one of his "once-in-a-while" projects. Why 12 speeds?...ah heck...why not?

Eric

27-01-2005 20:07

sanddrag

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

You're joking right? A Barbie car? That's even more rediculous than having it for a FIRST robot. Anyway, does it work well?

27-01-2005 20:17

Kyle Love

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

I agree...I would guess this is just for fun and would not be put on a robot because it would be nearly useless to shift through 12 gears. At tops I believe a team may need a 3 speed. But 12 is too much for my blood. If this was just for the heck of it or not I think its awesome!

27-01-2005 20:36

Projectchon

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

THIS IS CARZY

27-01-2005 21:20

tiffany34990

Re: pic: S.P.A.M "Littles-C" 12 speed transmission

but hey it's a cool thing. 12 speeds yeah it looks like a grandfather clock--but ya know we all like to get a bit crazy and have some fun--and we just had to tease y'all. just having fun during this crazy build season. what we are really up to at home in our bit well umm.... that's a different story.