Here’s another possible way to drive a turret, taken from the 118 FRC guide:
I think the way I saw a turret like this mounted, was either bending flat aluminium, or polycarb around a metal octagon, into a circle, then using the tank treat chain links, the one which you can screw into, with the chain facing outwards, then having sprockets support that chain on at least 4 corners, one of which would be powered to spin the turret.
I think having a set position for a turret to be loaded almost defeats the purpose of the turret, you might as well save the turret motors and have intake into a fixed flywheel. The idea I had for loading into a 360 turret is sort of like an indexer, where the I take would pick up discs and put them into a central column, then a piston would push up the rings into the turret, which then pushes discs into the flywheel.
In the end I’m most likely not going to go with a 360 turret, however if I did, this is how I would probably go about it
Yes, they work great for turrets, it just matters on how you build your turret and how you want your turret to function, etc.
It’s not a VEX flashlight though
If the flashlight on the robot serves a solely decorative purpose (no driver feedback, not used for aiming), then it should be legal for use as a non-functional decoration. Yet the moment it is used for any sort of aiming, it immediately gains a secondary function (not just decorative lighting) and therefore could be illegal as per R12. Sure, people have asked about using lights for aiming during and before a match, and for driver feedback (in this case reflecting the value of an optical sensor), but with the new verbiage of R12 (especially part g), I’m not 100% sure if the flashlight’s new functionality would be covered under part g. I would recommend writing a well thought out QnA once this season’s opens up to clarify any ambiguity such a mechanism might create (and to make it easier for inspectors/referees).
Yeah, they’re using the vex vision sensor found here: Vision Sensor - VEX Robotics
Me 
And I guess I will use this to update how turret designs are going.
First, it uses so much poly. A small turret might be better.
Second, the thing that the turret has to roll on also uses lots of poly.
Code is going along very well. Hopefully, I can have something to show off soon.
I think I saw a team just bend the flat alu pieces into a circle instead of using so much poly
Yeah, we’re trying to figure out a way to do it without poly. I was thinking that maybe we could use linear slides, bend then into a circle, and just use that as support. It would reduce friction, and it’s steel so it probably wouldn’t bend… Actually are you having a problem with friction in general? I would like the turret to be as fast as possible so…
Also HYPERION WHY WERE YOU UP AT 4 AM
… because he lives in England (or whatever he calls it) where it was ~10 in the morning, probably?
Wait, you mean… not everyone lives in the same place as i do and therefore Florida is not the center of the world?!? Impossible!
Lol yeah I live in the UK and it was 10 am, not 4am
This is going to be extremely difficult, and i would love to know how it plays out.
I don’t think this will work very well as it will require a lot of precision to bend the slides. You would need to attach the slides somehow. If you get it done well the slides could be really strong, but I think it would still need extra support pieces.
I don’t think that the this method is going to have less friction.
Friction right now isn’t generally the issue with turning, but we haven’t really done many tests. The turret is still not “well made” and is not a high-precision piece.
Florida moment (I’m also from Florida)
UK moment (I was the only uk person to regularly use vexforum in tipping point [only students])
yeah, we were going to have much more support holding up the slides, it would just be that the turret could freely slide cross the thing. I don’t actually know how we could bend it, but I’m sure it’s at least somewhat possible, it’d just be very tedious. Maybe we could just hammer it? Idk. we can try the poly if it’ll be thst much easier. I just really hope it doesn’t get too “problematic”.
How much do you think robots will need to push each other, is it something that will be important in spin up? I am thinking mainly of controlling the rollers when asking this question.
For turrets, it will be the main goal. Since the discs can be basically intaked and shot automatically with proper coding, the only thing you need to do is go over discs and be as offensive as possible. It will prevent people from being able to get as many discs. While we’re bullying them, we can just push them around and go over discs ourselves, letting us get points WHILE preventing others from getting them. However, if you’re not doing a turret, i would focus much more on the shooting aspect of strategy. Pushing power would probably not be a big necessity for you then, if you just do a speed ratio you should be fine.
Thanks, I do plan to use a turret so do you think that an x-drive 3.25 wheels with torque insert direct drive would be good.
