How essential is aluminum

VEX V5 Technical Support
#1

yOu WiLl lOSe If YOu doNt uSE iT
i get the upsides:
less weight
faster cycle times
not as hard on motors

my point is when done correctly steel could be as effective.
the weight would not affect drive/lift/intake speed that much not?

#2

Use aluminum for a DR4B or any other other tall lift. Although it does slightly impact performance if you use steel for a wheel base/mogo lift, it will barely do anything. If your team is short on money, don’t go buying tons of aluminum, although it is slightly better, you do not gain that much performance from using it. (unless you are making a DR4B, always use aluminum for a DR4B)

#3

Steel can very quickly cause problems.

If short on money, I would skip steel altogether and get as much aluminum as possible.

#4

really? never had any trouble with steel.

#5

this is my point it is not quite as important as some people would make it out to be

#6

If you’re not doing full aluminum on your robot then you’re doing something wrong. There are a few drawbacks to using aluminum like aluminum being easier to bend, but the lightness allows for faster cycle times, which is kind of the most important part of any VEX game. Unless you 100% need to use steel (Which not many teams do) use aluminum. There’s a reason why most robots you see will be all-aluminum (Except for a hinge or something).

#7

aluminium is necessary for anything that is lifted by a motor. especially low-weight lifts. aluminium will not bend as easily as people think, and is so much lighter. just, use aluminium wherever possible,

#8

i have a full steel 8-bar that works good and moderately-fast for cones

#9

how many motors?

#10

2
i used to have 4 when it lifted mogos too

#11

but it has 2 rn
i did a new mogo lift with the other 2

#12

with aluminium you could probably do one.

#13

unsymmetrical though
i could not stand it

#14

lol

#15

im serious

#16

and my bot only needs 10 without pneumatic rn so i dont need to conserve one motor

#17

how do you not have a team#

#18

There is really no upside to using steel, and I think the price/performance ratio of aluminum handily beats steel.

#19

I guess… but for me using steel on a lift is more painful than an unsymmetrical robot.

I’m not on a team. ._.

#20

did you used to be