2009:Mechanical 2.16.2009

Notes from Design Review (the elephant in the room)

1. Shooter seems ok; more rpm would help extend range (may have been done on 2/17 before ship).
   
2. Gather seems ok, need more permanent outside guides; listed below.
   
3. Plucker fingers seem too weak.  Can we add something inside to stiffen?
   
4. Suggestion:  Shafts between pulleys could have pool noodles around to limit dropped belt movement. (if a belt falls off it won't go as far)
   
5. Recycle ball (lotto) mode was a good feature.
   
6. Back guides seemed to work well.  Maybe make wider.
   
7. Rear hopper ball sticking points - ball above was pushing ball below away from plucker.  Suggestion to firm up rear hopper by moving lexan panels inside frame - completed on 2/17 before ship.
   
8. Lexan velcro seemed too weak to hold rear panel in rear. Add more, upgrade if moving inside is not enough.
   
9. Guides could be made out of 2 inch wide strips of lexan rather than aluminum tube. Another suggestion was to use fishing line.
   
10. Ball holding capacity:  Two rows in rear limits to 10 balls (est).  Not divided capacity approx 14 but runs the risk of nesting / jamming. Belived that two orderly rows would unload quicker with less ball jostling.
    
11. Belts fall off way too frequently. 
    

         Options:  (a) PVC Roller (HFL Design) One wide belt or a pair of belts.  Concern with tracking - was ruled out as option.

                       (b) Scrap existing pulleys.  Use shaft only with end stops.

                       (c) Add more round belts - 1 1/2 to 2 inch center distance beween belts. (Tested on 2/17/09).

To Do Before Ship  (D. Vadas List)

1. Weigh Robot (Done)

                with improvements (divider) 120.82 lbs

                Naked - 111.86 lbs

                + Lexan - 114.86 lbs

2.  Weigh Rear Hopper Ad Hoc Guides

3. Take Pictures (Done by Ted)

4. Re-measure some critical dimensions

5. Weigh Sub-elements(Done)

     All Lexan Panels - 2.36 lbs

     Camera and Mounting and guards - 1.08 lbs

     Bumpers with hardware - 11.8 lbs

     Side Hopper Guides -           (1)   46.45 in,     1.1 lbs;            (2)     42.75,   0.98 lbs

     Center Lexan - .62 lbs

     Hopper Center Divider - (one inch square aluminum tube) 1.22 lbs

     Front (Wood) Center Divider - .84 lbs

     Rear Bungee Cords - .7 lbs

6. Notch Trap Door Motor Reservoir Guide

To Do After Ship (D. Vadas List)

1.  Get 50+ hardened 1/4 inch washers - Tom and Mike Wolf have started collecting (in purple box, mechanical shelf, eye level)

2.  Make new gathering center divider

Added - T. Cavaliere

3.  Make new lower outside ball guides - we cut off the chained together zip ties.

To Do at RIT (D. Vadas List)

1.  Vibro-tite drive wheel screws.

2. Mount new gathering center divider (if needed)

3.  Mount nylon skid pads to the gathering "Cow Catcher"

4.  Adjust CCW Trap door limit switch to prevent overtravel.

5. Improve hopper lexan at top. (Velcro added on 2/17/09 - able to stop a homemade orbit ball from flipping backward over top)

File:RIT 2009.xls