IFI's Magbot M3 Youtube Videos

Hey I found these interesting so I thought I share them if you had not already found them.

What do you think he should have changed or not changed?

I extremely happy to see IFI posting videos of what they are doing for fun. It really shows that IFI is really devoted to their product.

I wish I could get paid to build vex robots…

wow all this new stuff is amazing…i look forward to the online controller config and free vex design challenge

great job IFI!

Everybody with a youtbe account, subscribe to IFI!!!
http://www.youtube.com/user/InnovationFirst

How did they magnetize the track? Did they just find narrow magnets to glue into the track?

Detailed descriptions of the MagBots and other cool robots can be found by clicking the ‘Gallery’ button at the top of the vex site.

ah ok, I found it. Is that the regular vex track? It looks black instead of green and it looks like the grooves in it are wider than the grooves in the track I have.
Any tips on a source of magnets that narrow? I definitely want to build one of these.

The track is from the Tank Tread Upgrade Kit.

From the Magbot M2 page:

Ok a few things I noticed today on the new uploaded videos. On “VexRobotics - Magbot M3 - Initial Frame Mockup” what looks like steel gears are sitting in lower right corner or it is just a cutting tool (they look like gears to me). Also the main frame is made of what he called stainless steel.

Those do look like metal gears. They actually reminded me of the larger lego gear. Like the largest one in this pick

Also in between those two large gears appears to be a gear similar to this.

Now why would IFI have lego parts… What are these mysterious gears?

I really like the idea here. Thinking about how in one of the videos the guy mentioned the different ways that you could align those treads to make a swerve drive. It looks like the brackets from the swerve drive kit would actually line up pretty nicely with the C-Channel on each Tread Pod. Also I bet they could still keep each wheel having independent suspension like they currently have. I’d really like to see that.

Anyone know what these gears are?

Know? No - but happy to speculate …

They appear to be standard 12t and 36t sized with a Vex square axle hole. The mounting holes on the larger ones seem to be on 1/4" centers, so perhaps these are part of the Vex Mini line?

  • Dean

Oh VEX mini… I didn’t think about that but it seems likely. That’s probably why they reminded me of Lego gears.

Those gears aren’t new; they’ve been kicking around the lab for a few years now. When you have a 5000W laser cutter on premises, you find yourself making all sorts of nifty things.

Good Eyes!

-John

Now lets play the game figure out what a 5000W is!

I’m guessing some sort of waterjet/laser cutter/mill?

5000 Watt Laser Cutter.

Any estimate when M3 will be up on the gallery?

I am guessing as soon as it is done.