Parts you want to see for 2018

FIRST General Forum
1

I think I saw a thread like this last year, but I’m not sure. Either way, here it is:

What new parts would you like to see from AndyMark, VEX Robotics, REV Robotics, BaneBots, West Coast Products, CTR Electronics, etc.?

My list:

Short 1/2" Round Toughbox Series Output Shaft with Magnet - AndyMark has replaced almost all of their most commonly used output shafts with versions containing a magnet, except for the short round shafts. 2855 has used those during the last two years. I know we could get a long round shaft and cut it to length or switch to a short hex shaft, but I think there still should be the short round shaft.

SPI Cable - Basically a cable that allows you to put a gyro somewhere other than on the RoboRIO. Something like this. I got a couple of these for my team this year, but it took about 30 minutes to figure out what I needed to look for and then find it.

COTS Passive POE Injector - Many people on CD have said that this is something that major FRC vendors should carry, and that it should even be in the KoP and/or required.

I’ll probably post more as I think of other things.

2

Just use the pigeon: https://www.vexrobotics.com/pigeon-imu.html

You can use ribbon cables used with talons or wire it in the CAN bus loop. More or less it’s pretty awesome.

3

CTRE has one.

If you want to just make longer cables, you can use your digikey PDV on the cables and connectors.

4

A 1/2" hex bore(or even 1.875" bolt circle) ratchet and pawl set would be pretty neat to have.

5

Single speed and two speed 775pro drive gearboxes.

More, and better COTS swerve options. Revolution Pro 3 swerve when?

6

CVT gearbox options

7

A longer ball shifter output shaft.

8
  • A COTS 775pro gearbox (dual speed and single speed options)
  • COTS POE injector (Maybe with some sort of dedicated brown out protection)
  • More swerve options that are COTS
  • More 32 DP gear sizes and variations
  • More shooter wheel options
  • More intake roller options and more compact gearboxes than the versaplanetary for intakes
9

I don’t know how I missed that one. Thanks

That is good to know, I’ll be adding those to the part ordering manual I’m making for the team.

10

Rev Robotics has some extension cables however they are for the MXP. So if you are using a Navx or any other mxp gyro, this can be helpful.

11

Lithium iron phosphate batteries, instead of the sealed lead acid

12

-Money making machine
-On robot fire extinguisher
-Health Insurance

13

I have made replacement output shaft inserts before. If you need them badly enough and have a few hours and a lathe they are not too hard to make. The hardest part is getting the old ones out. Will give details upon request.

14

SPI splitter: Basically, it takes the one SPI port and splits it into four ends to go into four individual SPI’s. Our team used four SPI’s for our swerve drive and it was a big pain to wire it all together. Many failed attempts, schematics, and had to borrow a really expensive crimper from one of our sponsors to get it done.

15

A 775pro with an extended backshaft would be cool to see so we could use these on them.

The SPI gyro is (was?) free from FIRST choice though. $60 is way more than a potential $5-$10 cable.

16

An armabot belt attachment that can fold a dual 775 input in half.

A right angle versaplanetary output.

A low cost retroreflective diffuse sensor you can wire right to the roborio without any other hassles.

17

Gonna put my support in for a COTS 775pro gearbox as well (single speed and shifting). More 32dp gears would be awesome too.

I would love to see more variety for rollers, end caps for teams that don’t have the resources, different materials, shapes, and conforming elements. It would be interesting to see a version of intaking belts or polycord product offered by FRC suppliers other than McMaster-Carr.

More VersaPlanetary stage options would make things more interesting as well.

18

Yes please. That or a ratcheting VersaPlanatary stage.

19

Right angle versa planetary output stages. That would be a fantastic option to open up design for things like intakes.

20

Definitely more shaft couplers/adapters sizes as we had some trouble getting them this season.