[FW] Wedge Spinner in time for Robo Challenge champs!

[Niels - Team K.a.L.M.]

Love the colours though

[harry hills]

You can always get stuff next day from RS. Although too expensive to ever buy from them unless it's an emergency hah.

[Giles]

I just tested a 3D printed ninjaflex belt. It worked really well, tons of grip. Will print out a bunch of them (as they may break after a few rounds) and use them as back ups.... fingers crossed the real belts arrive in time though!

[typhoon_driver]

Now that's an interesting use of 3D printing. Need to make sure that you start the perimeter at random points so you don't have a single weak point running up the belt and custom sizes wouldn't be an issue. Not a bad idea that.

[Giles]

Here is a video of me testing the 3D printed belt at half speed. They seem to work ok, probably not too hard wearing though.

[typhoon_driver]

Might have to order up some ninja flex.

[overkill]

That is ingenious! Won't the ninja flex stretch lengthways when it gets a real load on the belt?

[Giles]

Hopefully not! I should have proof of that today hopefully. Ninjaflex printed at 100% infill is pretty hard to stretch at this thickness, and even when not completely tight on the pulley it gripped very well, so I'm hoping it will stay that way. Time will tell!

This current belt is just flat, if it proves to be up for the job I will experiment with printing some with HTD5 tooth profiles, although If the belt does stretch, the teeth could just do more bad than good...

[overkill]

If you can find some way to embed polyester or kevlar cords in your printed belts, that would make the ninjaflex belts as tough as 'real' timing belts. Even if the printed belts are only good for testing its still extremely cool!

[Giles]

The bot drives!! Its an absolute power house with those rangle gearboxes/motors. Had good fun pushing the dog bed around with it (minus the dog). We didn't manage to get our ESC's finished in time... they run the bot... but theres so many little things to fix/add to them that its not worth the risk this soon to the champs. Instead, Dave and I spent the day making removable links, flashing tz85's and general wiring/extras. Really happy with the outcome.

Also

THE WEAPON IS ALIVE
The ninjaflex span up the 2.2kg disc really nicely!

[Rapidrory]

Probably a good call on the ESC front; My feather had a fairly untested ESC in it for the champs last year. It only lasted one fight, then had to be swapped out for some TZ85s anyway.

It's looking awesome. If your countersunk bolts don't arrive in time, I'd suggest removing the lower 6 of the 8 cap head bolts from just in front of the disk, else you'll never hit anything!

[typhoon_driver]

Wrap some duct tape around the outside of the belt. Should help hold the whole thing together and assist in stopping it stretching.

[Ellis]

I repaired a damaged HTD5 belt with "fibre tape" a couple of years ago. It worked. I'll have loads with me!

[Giles]

Well hopefully my proper HTD belts will arrive in time, but if not then fibre tape or duct tape sounds like good reinforcement, providing it doesn't come off and get caught in the disc!

[overkill]

Very clever! I would go for the fibre tape if its like the fibre reinforced packing tape I have - absolutely not stretch in it. OTOH, duct tape is probably stickier. If you run a test, run the belt until it gets hot - my duct tape glue melts at low temps.