2020:Power Cell Storage

Team Leads:  Matt D. & Zack G.

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Prototyping 1/5/2020-1/11/2020

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Overview:  Based on initial team brainstorming and sketching, as well as theinformation from Strategy Subteam, we determined to prototype:

• A helix
• A drum
• A brush conveyor

This decision was based in part on available people to work on it, as well as those designs that seemd most favorable based on early sketches and legacy research (balls are squishy and can get stuck and jammed easily).

Observations:  We observed the following over the course of prototyping:

• Helix: 
  • Super fast! 
  • We used a central agitator with zip ties (although we hope to test brushes as soon as we have some suitable ones).
  • We tested it with a horizontal intake and exit - it worked very well
  • CAD:
    • Seemed to fit within robot frame well
    • Shooter might possibly be mounted 90 degrees to intake
    • Must be able to bring the balls up 7.5" within 270 degrees of rotation 
• Drum:
  • We mocked up a drum using four traction wheels with a chase of lexan around to hold in the balls.
  • It worked well when hand cranked.
  • The drum would be used to index the balls as they come in and only trun one pie wedge as each ball came in.  If we only had two balls we would need to override the indexing and send the balls to the shooter quickly.
  • On further testing at faster speeds the balls got stuck and jammed.  
• Brushed Conveyor:
  • We had only a smal quantity of brushes to use and we were able to demonstrate that they did move the balls well.
  • We were able to confirm that the rapidly spinning brushes did not hard the game piece.
  • We may consider further prototyping to test brushes on both sides or brushes one side only, etc.
  • It appeared that this option was going to work best in a straight line.  Quick calcs indicated that would mean a +/-46" length overall so we owuld need to go diagonally through the robot.

Decisions:

• Helix is our preferred choice at this time:
  • Relatively small volume in the robot
  • Allows for exit to the shooter to be directly above the entrance from the intake for a compact layout
  • Uses one moter for the central agitator.
  • Super Fast!
  • KISS design (maybe)

Need to do:

• TIl further testing with Helix fails, we may need to look at different materials for the Drum or further testing of the brushed conveyor.
• Find brushes and a way of mounting brushes as a vertical agitator.  CAD!
• Start CAD design
• Do calculations to determine appropriate motor and speeds possible.
• Figure out interface with Intake and Shooter.
• Mock up these interfaces adn test with prototype.
• Start thinking about what sensors might be needed and ho it will be controlled.

 

Design

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Tracking ball through helix 

1.Ball comes through the opening in frame .

2.Ball contacts wheel on intake pivot shaft – pivot shaft has to spin and keep spinning .

3.Count the ball – beam break or proximity sensor .

4.Ball Forced up in to helix .

5.Ball goes up in the helix rotating brush(current monitoring ).

6.Ball stop at shooter intake roller .

7.Shooter intake roller pushes ball in to turret while brushes are spinning .

8.Count the ball – stop shooter intake roller(are the brushes spinning? And proximity sensor ).

9.Shooter wheels up to speed (prime wheel and shooter wheels).

10.Ball is shot  .