Covers the entire robot design process, discussing robots and games in general, design priorities and decisions, and design principles and techniques
Covers a range of mechanical design principles and techniques
Resources
- Mechanism Galleries, workshop presentations
- White Papers, image galleries, discussion boards
- Subversion (free, high-quality version control system)
- SDP/SI
- McMaster-Carr
- Boston Gear
- Use BostSpec 2 to search for gears (need to create a free account)
- Canadian Bearings (find a local store)
- Metal Supermarkets (find a local store)
Exercise
Some ideas of things to look for:
- Simple solutions to complex problems
- Disassembly
- Multifunctionality
- Theoretical calculations required
- Physical principles
- Why a certain method of power transmission was used
- Chain design
- Why a certain material was used
- Why a certain type of component was used
- Why a certain type of structure was used
- Design tradeoffs (usually weight and something else)
- Why pneumatics used instead of motors, or vice versa
- BONUS: Design leftovers
Sample Mechanisms
- FIRST Robotics Canada Mechanisms
- Frames
- Grippers
- Drive trains
- Gearboxes
- Wheels
- Elevators
- Rotating joints
- Arms