2011:1/27/2011

Drivetrain

Painted the frame, cut the axles, putting chain on the last four wheels.  Should have a drivetrain tonight.

Arm/Manipulator Minibot deployment mechanism is located in CAD, so arm can be positioned around it. Working on building the support structure for the arm. The location for the "tusks" (for centering on the tower) is still being worked on.  May need to tie the two wheel motors together for structural stability, when assembling the upper framework.

Minibot/Deployer

Minibot is in CAD, so now we know what parts must be manufactured. Start/stop/reverse switches will be located tonight. A pivot with surgical tubing will snap the two wheels onto the tower when the minibot is shoved against the tower. Will build the basic design and see what the speed is, then alter it if necessary (gearing etc.).  Will have the two wheels, plus a switch, that all hit the plate at the top of the tower in a "tripod" formation.  Probably will add a fuse to keep motors from burning out.

Electrical Main

Think about adding another encoder at the top of the arm so that "chain slop" doesn't give bad sensor readings - must hash this out with Programming.