It’s all starting to come together; this week we mounted our prototype shooting mechanism to the chassis, and found a way to load Frisbees into the shooter. We expect to begin fabricating our final version of the robot next week. The first time we test our robot in competition, the “mini regional”, is two weeks from tomorrow, 2/17/13 at Sussex Hamilton High School.
Chassis
This year the design of the chassis has been significantly changed, we are now using belts instead of chains because they are lighter and more effective. The gear boxes being inside allows us to have a smaller profile. We are using new Omniwheels, which allow easier turning.
The Shooter
The shooter consists of 2 wheels on the side that throw the Frisbee. The Frisbee slides along a smooth surface. The piston pushes the Frisbee forward right to the wheels.
The Loader
One challenge we faced this week was finding a way to load Frisbees into the shooter. We designed a method for Frisbees to be loaded on so that they slide down into place, and may be stored four at a time. They drop down one after another and are pulled forward by a pneumatic piston. The next Frisbee then falls down, and is again pulled into the shooter.
First Functioning Robot