My team and I are just now getting a kit for our robot. This is our first season of V5 and we are excited to get started.
Unfortunately, we cannot get the super kit, thus we have to go with a starter kit. However, we know we will need many more pieces than that.
While I know every robot is different, what kinds of pieces (i.e. L-channels, C-channels, omni-directional wheels, traction wheels, gussets) would be necessary for essentially any robot? Of course, there are pieces that essentially every robot will utilize in some way or another. What pieces do you find essential that the starter kit doesn’t have enough of?
We are also trying to think as hard as we can as to what we need, but as we haven’t settled on a robot design and haven’t made any official CAD drawings yet, we are having to be general.
Make a CAD. Doesn’t matter of what bot. Then see what parts are super frequent.
I would personally get some smaller wheels (2.75 preferred, but then that’s means you will probably mean you need 48t gears). This stops younger students from building drivetrains with “Bad” gearing. Not like you can’t, but they will be more likely to look into other gearings that top teams use.
I would highly recommend following @68031B 's advice, but in general;
I would recommend (anything in bold is a must)
6 3.25" omni wheels (or other sizes, depending on thr drivetrain gear ratio you chose)
Couplers
2 Pneumatics kits
1 metal and hardware kit (which has pillow block bearings, regular bearings, shaft collars, shafts, more metal, a few gussets,spacers, and standoffs)
Motors, cartridges, and cables. I would get 6 more motors and cartridges of different speeds.
Gears (1 pack of 36t and 60t gears, 1 LS gear kit, and 2 packs of 24t, 48t, and 72t). Customize according to your CAD
High strength shafts and associated hardware
2 High Strength Shaft insert kits
More screws and zipties in general
2 more batteries (for competitions, so you always have a charged battery)
In other words, take almost everything (except the brain, controller, claw, senors, and tools) from the starter kit, double it, add on any parts you didn’t get from the super kit, and add pneumatics, more omni-wheels, and motor cartridges.