Swerve Drive Specialties Production Week, 2019 - 2020

[PatrickW]

This past Saturday marked the start of Swerve Drive Specialties marathon week of production. Our goal is to build up inventory prior to kickoff and find out how many MK2 swerve modules and accessories we can make in 7 days. We plan to run the mill a minimum of 12 hours per day.

We will be posting periodic updates in this thread throughout the week. Please feel free to ask questions.

The Team:

• Patrick
  • Roles: Machine Operator, Inspection, Shipping, etc…
  • FRC Affiliation: 2910 Lead Mentor
• Rob
  • Roles: Machine Operator, Parts Washing
  • FRC Affiliation: Patrick’s Dad
• Tim @Plugh
  • Roles: Machine Operator, Parts Washing, Parts Packing
  • FRC Affiliation: 2910 Director of Engineering, 2910 Driver
• Ryan @rskywolf
  • Roles: Machine Operator, Parts Washing, Parts Packing
  • FRC Affiliation: 2910 Asst. Director of Engineering, 2910 Operator

The Machine:

• Brother Speedio S500X1
  • 16K RPM 9.8HP Spindle
  • 21-Tool ATC
  • Pierson Workholding pallet system
    
    

End of Day 2 Update:

• Below is the metal that Coast Aluminum dropped off last week.
  
  
• We primarily have been working on MK2 main plates and motor plates. We have also made a good amount of shafts and some wheel mounts and main pulleys. So far a solid couple of days. I’m excited to see what we can accomplish in the remaining 5 days.
  
  
  
  
  

[troy_dietz]

We plan to run the mill a minimum of 12 hours per day

[Richard_Wallace]

shhh…!! Belay that clatter!

Do ye wan’ th’ wee mill t’ gae an strike?

[JohnFogarty]

I dream of the day I own a machine like that

[PatrickW]

Some people dream of having fancy sports cars in their garage. We dream of vertical machining centers.

[Shreykv]

Very hot

[Nuttyman54]

Does this mean more machining videos on the YouTube channel?

[Plugh]

End of Day 4 Update:

• We’ve pretty much milled a bit of everything, some pulleys…
  
  
  
  Some wheels and plates…
  
  
  
  We made some chips… (We’ve filled 7 of those totes)
  
  
  
  We washed and double rinsed…
  
  
  
  And packed, and packed, and packed…
  
  
  
  
  
  
  And pet the cats.
  
  
  
  Three more days!

[PatrickW]

Day 5 Update:

• MK2 Standard kits and fundamentals kits are back in stock for immediate shipment. Steel gear module kits will be back in stock and backordered modules will ship as soon as we receive our order of steel gears from AndyMark. They should be shipped mid next week.

• Bevel gears are in stock.
  

  
  

• Packing module kits
  

  

[PatrickW]

End of day 7 Update:

The week went very well. In just 7 days we managed to machine enough parts for over 150 MK2 Swerve modules. If there is demand, production will continue into next week as well. The Speedio with Pierson Workholding pallet system is a killer combination. A huge thanks to Ryan, Tim, and my dad. I’m really proud of what we accomplished in the past 7 days. Below are some pictures of parts produced this week.

• The last of the parts drying after being washed and distilled water rinsed
  

  
  

• Parts bagged ready to be packed
  

  
  
  
  

• We took about 1500 pounds of aluminum chips to the recycling place. (Note: only about half of it was from the past 7 days)
  

  

• Stickers!
  

  

Please let it be a swerve friendly game, Please let it be a swerve friendly game…

[amboyscout]

Please let it be a swerve friendly game…

I hope it is a swerve friendly game because they are fun to watch, but we will see in 7 hours why the field drawings are twice as long and why there is so much lumber… (Many different obstacles like 2016?) All I know is that I need to know what the iron pipe is for!

These parts are beautiful as always. Wish we had the time and money to make it worthwhile to pick a few up.

[troy_dietz]

and distilled water rinsed

Nice to see all the attention to post-processing, but I’m just gonna touch the shiny things with my Cheeto-dust covered fingers anyway.

[sanddrag]

Knowing what it takes to run CNC mill production like that, that’s a heck of a week. Nice work!

[yarden.saa]

@PatrickW
Please answer to your contact us email.

[PatrickW]

@yarden.saa sorry for the late reply. Super busy. I’ll be answering all my remaining emails tomorrow morning.

[GalactechGoat]

Any idea when the bevel gears might be back in stock? I understand that Corona virus is probably making it hard to produce parts. Thanks!

[caleby]

2910 MK2 Swerve Module Release

Unfortunately the factory that makes the bevel gears was effected by COVID-19. We are expecting more 60T bevel gears to be in stock near the end of April.

[GalactechGoat]

Shoot I didn’t see that. Thanks for the help!