First of all, I’d like to try not to turn this into a drill motor debate thread. So, other than that, what changes would you hope to see to the 2004 kit (within reason - no anti-gravity devices will make their way into the kit).
Personally, here’s what I’d like to see:
-Slightly different batteries with totally square terminals so larger hardware can be used without deforming the terminals.
-Return of the seat motors
-Different window motors (maybe like the older ones) The new ones had way too much slop.
The models and quantities of motors in the kit are largely dependent upon the motors that are donated to FIRST by companies like Bosch, Fisher Price, Delphi, etc. Any “request” we make of FIRST to change the quantity or model of motors provided in the kit will probably not be acted upon (unless you’re lucky and one of those companies has a few thousand extra of a particular model) because FIRST is at the mercy of these companies.
I hope that rules regarding pneumatics are opened up this year. If we could 5+ cylinders multiposition, while being given roughly the same number of motors (2 drill-ish, 2 CIM-ish, 2 FP-ish, 2 Globe-ish, 2 Window-ish, 1-2 Van Door-ish, and maybe 1-2 Seat-ish), I’d be a very happy camper ;). I’d also like to see the scoring object fit into one of those kit containers again :P. I really liked the fact that FIRST had couplers and adapters made for the Window motor, the all new Drill assembly, and the CIM assembly. That was very useful, at least for prototyping. Keep up the baby steps FIRST!
*Originally posted by Tytus Gerrish *
**More 0.75" ID flanged bearings. Those things are like $9.95 each! **
Tytus-
I’m sure that it isn’t just a characteristic of west coast teams not to use those large bearings on your robot. If you asked around I’m sure you’d find lots of teams who would be willing to trade you theirs for something of yours. Teams out here have entire bins full of those huge bearings.
*Originally posted by Bill Gold *
**I really liked the fact that FIRST had couplers and adapters made for the Window motor, the all new Drill assembly, and the CIM assembly. That was very useful, at least for prototyping. Keep up the baby steps FIRST!
**
Yeah I liked that A LOT too. And the drill motor mounts - but we’re not getting into that here. We used the coupler parts on our actual robot for the drills and Chias. It is just that there were only two of the aluminum hex parts with the 5/8" keyway bore. So, we had to buy another set of the drill ones to use those parts for the output side of our Chia coupler. We did machine our own steel window motor couplers for fear of breaking the plastic ones but we used them in a awkward situation.
I really did enjoy all of the custom FIRST-specific new kit parts last year.
The answer to this is extremely easy. Let FIRST add 3 rolls of classic Duct Tape to the kit. No robot will have any problems. If they do, “Fix it in code”.
In all honesty, I would like to see a few pulleys in the kit. Our team had a fun time getting them last season.
Oh, and a spare “golden” nut for the 120A breaker wouldn’t be bad either. I lost one of the nuts last season, and spent far too much time searching on the floor for it.
To add to that it’d be nice if they provided a list to what size hardware or threaded holes was used in every applicable component of the kit so we wouldn’t have to guess.
*Originally posted by sanddrag *
**To add to that it’d be nice if they provided a list to what size hardware or threaded holes was used in every applicable component of the kit so we wouldn’t have to guess. **
What, you can’t judge an M10-1.25 tapped hole or a 11/32" hole when you see it, just by eye, and be right nearly all the time? I can.
I think that FIRST’s little baby steps with the motor mounts and everything is just fine and they should keep that up. However i have been saying since i became addicted to FIRST that more pneumatic freedom would be great. It would really open up the doors for some spectacular engineering. So thats all i want to see changed more pneumatic freedom.
I remember an old post about a team that unknowingly cheated (had they read the rules right, they probably wouldn’t have done it). They used box aluminum as their frame and made it air-tight. Then they hooked up their air lines into the box-alum frame, thus creating a much larger volume of ready-to-use air than just using the kit tanks. I think if I team can do something like this, they should be allowed to. But still it must pass a no-leak safety inspection and follow all other guidelines given.
Pneumatics is a great thing for robotics, especially for the type we do. A lot of great designs have involved pneumatics, and only greater ones can come from more freedom in designing.
If we aren’t allowed to think outside the box, give us a bigger box.
*Originally posted by Venkatesh * Oh, and a spare “golden” nut for the 120A breaker wouldn’t be bad either. I lost one of the nuts last season, and spent far too much time searching on the floor for it.
Heh. That goes to teach you not to lose them, or get into a position where you might lose them. The same goes for terminal screws on speed controllers.
We’ll say that whatever they give us isn’t enough, but in the end, it will be.
Although we didn’t use the manufactured housings for the drill motor and helical gears, it wouldn’t be bad idea to make shiftable transmissions similar to the plastic assemblies they made. Nothing fancy, just use the standard drill transmission and a servo. It would help out rookie teams as well as teams that lack a machinist or the know-how to build a transmission.
A lighter, smaller Maxi block would be nice.
A slip ring would make turrets much easier to design and build.
I agree positionable air cylinders would be helpful.
Infinite potentiometers like he ones some of the teams used would help with auton and other functions.
Miter Gears!!!
Ok, I just had to get it out of my system. I think more 90 deg. parts should be included.
Pnuematics should be beefed up a bit, but I know the battery and compressor are likely to stay the same, as first is relying on vet teams to reuse theirs.
I agree on the penumatics,
evean if we had to buy them ourselves it would be nice to be able to use a few more cylenders… but most importantly the VALVES to control them just put in a crevat that we can use as many valves as we want as long as they are model XXXXX or a drop in replacement.
hrmm… also… drop the joystick rule where we cannot modify the stock ones… but totally building a system ourselves is allowd :rolleyes: twas IMHO stupid last year… and will continue to be if they do it agin.
*Originally posted by roboticscom13 *
**I’m sorry i havent been to CD for a while now…who and where was it said that there would be no compressor? **
Its not that there isn’t going to be a compressor, FIRST just isn’t giving a new compressor to anyone except 1st and 2nd year teams as a way of saving money. Check out this thread for more details.
I remember an old post about a team that unknowingly cheated (had they read the rules right, they probably wouldn’t have done it). They used box aluminum as their frame and made it air-tight. Then they hooked up their air lines into the box-alum frame, thus creating a much larger volume of ready-to-use air than just using the kit tanks. I think if I team can do something like this, they should be allowed to. But still it must pass a no-leak safety inspection and follow all other guidelines given.
This seems fairly dangerous. I really do not want any team building anything with pneumatic parts they built.
