Do you guys think it’s possible to build a quadruple internal stacker? (a robot that can hold and stack upon 4 mobile goals)
It’s possible; not plausible. There isn’t any reason to carry that much weight since 4 mobile goals is close to 16 pounds and then all the metal required to pick those up. But, it would definitely get a design award or two. Not worth it imo.
after all of the motors you’d have to use for the drive and mogo intakes I’d imagine you wouldn’t have enough motors left to internally stack. At least not efficiently.
Although it would be cool to see a robot that could carry more than two goals
The Design Award is for following a documented engineering process in creating your robot. There is no requirement that the design is innovative. For that, VRC has the Innovate Award, and, yes, if it worked, a four-mobile-goal-lifting robot would be a strong candidate.
Having been the one who designed the bot that inspired my teammate 20rzaugg’s question, I can tell you how I could get it to work:
Basically it revolves around the idea of a mobile goal pyramid. First you intake two mobile goals using mini four bars. Then you stuff two more partially underneath these using passive intakes or a claw to grip the mobile goal. Then you would use a lift and chainbar to stack. You would have to use a 6 motor torque drive and two motors for two mg intakes to do it, leaving a solid 4 motors to internally stack. However, this is not advisable simply for the reason that since you have eaten up all the mobile goals, your partner now has nothing to do. Two mobile goals is definitely plausible and efficient, though, as it keeps you efficient at delivering mg’s to zones and still gives your partner some to stack on.
I think I might try to do 4 mg’s in skills, though. It’s actually lighter than two mobile goals with stacks on them and you wouldn’t have to worry about motors to deliver the mg’s well or your chainbar being too short or cone weight.
They really should rename the award, it has confused many a young engineer and judge.
“design process award”
“engineering award”
Our state unfortunately doesn’t do the Innovate Award.
Here be a picture of what I was thinking. The random rectangle represents the drive. Unfortunately not a CAD file, but this is mostly hypothetical anyways.
What you have to remember is that the reason a fast drive is desirable is to shunt mg’s. So even if you have to slow your drive, by carrying more mg’s your still increasing efficiency by massive numbers. The way I like to say it is “Scoring objects are worth their weight in gold.”
Good luck getting it all to fit in the size limit
That would definitely be the trick. But I think I’m going to stick to two mobile goals except for in skills; to carry four would give your partner nothing to do except stack on the stationary.
That is true but there is a point where most robots can’t stack more and might have nothing to do.
Height is definitely going to be key in the late season so you don’t run out of things to do.
I plan to do 3. However, I’m VexU so I don’t have to worry about a partner:)
For HS/MS there is no point. A robot carrying that many would be slowed down to the point where it would be faster to shuttle one or maybe two at a time. This is also ignoring a potential partner. Sizing and added c-stock weight would be an issue, especially if you ever want to add cone stacking, which at this point in the season should decide nearly every match.
Agreed, which is why I’m sticking to 2 with the exception of maybe adding some small plows to help out with doing four in skills.