We just got in our order of Neo Vortex motors and sparkmaxs after the recall, and unfortunately we will need to gear these motors down for what we intend to use them for.
We thought our old versapalnetary gearboxes would fit the whole pattern on the sparkmax but they are slightly off by what looks like a few millimeters. We looked into the max planetary but those seem all out of stock without any estimated date for new ones coming into stock.
Any suggestions for how to proceed to get a planetary gearbox on pur sparkmaxs/neo vortexs? Right now our only solution will be to drill larger holes into the mounting wholes on the versa planetarys and rolling with it
Anywhere that has a 2in diam hole pattern (cim mounting holes), you should be able to use a vortex with a sparkflex/solo adapter and an 8mm keyed shaft output.
For the versaplanetary gearboxes you might need a “ VersaPlanetary CIM Adapter”.
You’re probably using SPARK Flex controllers with your NEO Vortex. The SPARK MAX is different and usually used with NEO 1.0/1.1/550 motors (though with an adapter it can drive a NEO Vortex).
Whether you’re using a SPARK Flex or the adapter, the mounting holes on the front face are for 10-32 screws on a 2" bolt circle. Same as a CIM, which the VersaPlanetary natively supports with their (voluminous but necessary) adapter.
MAXPlanetary base kits are due back end of the month per REV’s stock updates page. If that doesn’t fit your timeline and you want to move on from the VersaPlanetary, I’d consider the CIM Sport gearbox. If you have the ability to press-fit a pinion, consider the short back block option. You’ll lose the modularity of the VP/MP, but you’ll get a well-built gearbox that can do the work.
What kind of filament and infill is being used here? though iirc, this doesnt solve the issue of not having the input gear that comes with the base kit.
Onyx with a few extra walls because we lack self confidence is our usual print setting… If we had applied even one braincell to this part we could have made the flanges thicker too. This is just the step from the REV website because we thought we could buy the real one eventually.
If you’re not using 8mm motor shafts shafts (ie. not Neo 1.x or cim) you can still buy the input coupler that doesn’t come in the base kit anyway. (MAXPlanetary Input Couplers - REV Robotics)
And if you are using the Max 90 degree output (MAX 90 Degree Gearbox - REV Robotics) this printed part is the only part you need to substitute from the base kit.
Potato quality photo, but this is the result. Not ideal, but it is in stock.
