For the past 3 years, our team has just dealt with lifting the robot by the frame, which is really difficult, trying not to lift by the bumpers. We need a new method of lifting. Does anyone have ideas of how to lift the robot more effectively than just by the frame?
our team puts an eye bolt in each of the corners, then we have rope handles with carabeiners which we simply clip onto the robot, its light, and effective.
That’s a good idea. That would make lifting so much easier!
Bingo, that’s what we did last year and it was a real back and hand saver.
Our 2008 thru 2010 robots had handles built into or attached to the frame, either above or below the bumper, one near each corner, along the long sides.
We’re using the kit chassis this year, so we’ll have to figure out how to do that. I’m thinking that we could probably use some hardware store handles, bolted to the underside of the frame outer rail. Or we could make some spiffy ones using something like 1/2" aluminum round rod, with the ends drilled and tapped, and bent to form a wide U shape. Then stick a bolt thru the lower flange of the channel, down into the hole tapped in the ends of the handle.
Or something like that.
I saw a team that had removable handles. They were rounded triangles with a hook coming off the apex; it looked kind of like the hooks used to move meat in the slaughterhouse - but not sharp-pointed, of course. They fit into an eyebolt or another connection on the frame.