Team Psyclone: The Uprising (Of Build Diaries)

[blazerbotics]

Try an pick up a pair of 2nd hand 4QDs, will handle whelchair motors easily, not the nest control in the world but fine if your only running wheelchair motors. Pair normally go for around £100.

[harry hills]

Josh,
I've got a pair of 4QD's nc70 or something like that I can't quite remember. Will have a look for you tomorrow if you're interested.
Harry

[plargen]

brand new un boxed including rc interface form 4qd would be round £230 ish, looks like they have stopped doing the ncc version and are making one called vtx instead.... seems pretty similar

http://www.4qd.co.uk/prod/vtx.html

http://www.4qd.co.uk/accs/dmr3.html

[maddox10]

What are the stats on your wheelchairmotors? The ones I handled in the past were rated up to 400W, on 24V that means less than 20 amps. (mobility scooters are another matter, and can go as high as 1kw on the single motor that drives the dif)
Even if we stick to the rule of the tumb that a brushed motor does 4 times nominal current in stall it won't blow the TZ85's.

But if you want to be sure, go for the Wotty. Then you support a roboteer. Buy British manufacture and have super fast and accurate repair work if needed. And it's made for our purpose...

[TeamPsyclone]

Well, I may have to see what happens. I may be buying Eric from antazz, if it's still available, and making my own modifications (Both cosmetic and internal) to it. I just don't have the skill and confidence to build a heavy from scratch, but to have one that I can run and repair, builds confidence. I may end up going into building one from the start, it all depends on what I can deal with. I tend to learn by having a finished one in front of me, to maintain, so I can understand what I'm dealing with.

Harry, I'll probably be interested in those 4QDs if you can find them. I'll PM you.

Thanks for the support everyone, it's really helped me understand what I'm dealing with, again.

[TeamPsyclone]

Hooray, more questions!

Anyway, I'm looking on ebay for a good Linear Actuator to suit my to be heavyweight robot. Is that the best place? Is there any recommended ones?

[daveimi]

Give Ewan a shout

http://www.gimsonrobotics.co.uk/12V-...actuators.html

[TeamPsyclone]

That GLA750-S looks mighty tempting, but I'll have to measure up before I do anything.

[Ellis]

You will need to cleverly support the lifting arm and make it impossible for the actuator itself to bear any impacts; if you land on the open lifter, you're talking hundreds of kgs of force being fed right into the actuator, and it will not enjoy that for long. This is the case in any scale of machine but is more pronounced on the heavyweight scale.

[TeamPsyclone]

Well, it seems a lot less costly than Pneumatics, but I feel they're more robust. Maybe I shall just save, and learn pneumatics, there's more than enough links on the thread, and I know the dangers of the stuff. Hmm... I'll need to have a good think about this. I could try motor driven, but I know that'll be a pain to set up. I see why most people use pneumatics. It's just a problem of, if I can't do pneumatics, and I have no weaponry or ability to self right, it'd make a rubbish robot... Is it possible to run on low pressure easily enough? Or would that not be worth the effort?

[Ellis]

I can't comment on pneumatic systems, don't know much about them, but I do know we have enough pneumatic heavyweights to last a lifetime.

If you can even consider a pneumatics system as a potential weapon power then you can definitely consider motor/gearbox driven, in terms of complexity. I don't know if off the shelf gearboxes that'd be suitable for not that much exist, but I'm sure something is possible. All Sewer Snake, an electrically powered HW lifter/flipper in the US (several times Champion) has, is a heavily geared down HW drive motor leading to a weapon arm by chain and sprocket. As it happens, what we based Tormenta 2's weaponry on. In principle, at least, it's far less complicated than pneumatics and something almost completely fresh for the current UK scene.

[Flag Captured]

I think the problem you've got with Linear Actuators is that, compared to the equivalent pneumatics, they're really slow for a similar effect. I think the only advantages you've got is that they're more compact from what I know, they're not governed by Co2 supply (though that doesn't really bother many flippers I don't think) and they're a lot more controlled. I'd personally go with what Ellis said, a highly geared down lifter/flipper - whilst it may not give you the sheer throw of a flipper, you'll have a lot more control over the weapon, not to mention something quite unique! Of course, I'm sure you already know most of this...

Here's a video that might help you out, it's a rundown of Sewer Snake's innards on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt6_dXKwQYw - I think the system is an S28-150 Magmotor on a 75:1 ratio, across a 2 stage gearbox and a 3:1 chain reduction.

I think it's a slightly older version, but I'd guess the principle stays the same. One thing to note is that, again, unless anything's changed recently, there's no limit switches on the weapon, meaning you'd have to be careful not to have it turn too much and snap the chain, if you do go that route.

[TeamPsyclone]

So, since I have no chance of affording a Magmotor, of any kind, what motor shall I use? I doubt a Wheelchair motor would give enough power, and a scooter motor? No chance.

[Max]

Starter motor? I think it only goes one way but you could have some kind of spring return which would help keep it on the floor. Weighs a ton but cheap and has tons of power.

[adz600]

I have some scooter motors at 850w they are also used in tomahawk,are easy to use and just use a sprocket straight to the wheels as they are low rpm but not been fitted but build quality looks great they are available of ebay