TXR - FLOW

[xtreme]

Hello robo mongs, I have decided to build a new Flow. I will try and keep the build diary up to date.
As many of you will know the last version of Flow was stupidly powerful and impractical, This will be even more stupidly powerful and even more impractical.
Here is a video of the old Flow on low Pressure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cpH5RX ... 6HGlN9XDo=

Im going to start the build diary off with the most important part of the robot.
The Ram
The ram body is made from a solid billet. The other big billet in the picture is to make the piston/rod.

[xtreme]

Re: TXR - FLOW

Here is the new ram in comparison to the old flows ram. (old flow was 80mm bore)


Here is the piston/rod from the old flow inside the new flow ram



Ram body now slightly domed ontop and dull polished.

[maddox10]

Re: TXR - FLOW

You're going to fit a 1.1 kg CO2 bottle in there?

[xtreme]

Re: TXR - FLOW

Yep. Im making a 100mm id 250mm long buffer tank to feed the ram too.
Pushing the limits much?

[PJ-27]

Re: TXR - FLOW

Be-jesus Tom! I have dinner plates with a smaller diameter.

[xtreme]

Re: TXR - FLOW

I could have quite easily gone for a 60 bore ram and a burkert and it would have been more than powerful enough for a featherweight and it would be reliable and more efficient but that would be a sensible thing to do and sensible isn't really my style.

[PJ-27]

Re: TXR - FLOW

Experimentation leads to innovation, you could be on to something here!

[davet123]

Re: TXR - FLOW

I think we are lol :shock:
old flow on low pressure kinda proves that !

[Ellis]

Re: TXR - FLOW

I vote for an outside power test when complete. I want to see a robot fly! All in favour, say aye!

I still can't get my head around low pressure being so... well, explosive. Do you intend to run this on low pressure too?

Maybe you could half-stick everything back into the old flow and test it on high pressure, be it just once, to see what happens..

[xtreme]

Re: TXR - FLOW

I'm most likely going to run full pressure in this flow.
I could do a FP test with the old flow. Have to get some CO2 first.

[Eventorizon]

Re: TXR - FLOW

When you say low pressure how many psi are we talking? The max is 1000psi or 68 Bar so what was Flow running at when it turned into spider-flow?

[mightymouse]

Re: TXR - FLOW

Tom

If you are not using Burketts, then what valves do you have in mind, cause that ram will need a heck of a flow rate - sorry for the pun

Trev

[xtreme]

Re: TXR - FLOW

Making our own valves. There shouldn't be any feathers or heavys with the amount of flow that Flow will have. Don't know if it's even going to work yet. I'll get the system set up and bench test it before building the rest of the robot.

[xtreme]

Re: TXR - FLOW

When you say low pressure how many psi are we talking? The max is 1000psi or 68 Bar so what was Flow running at when it turned into spider-flow?

We set the pressure to 20 bar before the event. Then turned it down slightly as the event went on to try stop it snapping bungee cords but we never tested the pressure after turning it down. So spider Flow should have been 20 bar. Think we was somewhere near 16 bar by the end of the event. That's when it threw it's self out of the arena trying to self right from being in the pit.
We did testing at 100 psi direct from the compressor before the event. Running at that pressure it wouldnt have struggled to out of the arena another robot.

[Eventorizon]

Re: TXR - FLOW

20 Bar... 290 psi... that was enough to throw 13.6kg clean over the wall... this new ram is just going to make Flow vicious!