2024

2024 Robot

Designed and built 18” × 18” × 18” robots for full scoring, descoring, and field traversal in Over Under. Each robot used a 6-motor, 8-wheel drive system, achieving 7.1 ft/s, with a collapsible profile under 6 inches for navigating under goals. Integrated a dual-wing system for object control, an intake arm capable of retrieving triballs, and a custom catapult system. Included 50+ custom components, including laser-cut sheets, custom gearboxes, and metal hardware. The robot consists of 3 main systems: chassis, catapult, and intake. The motors for all these systems were designed to fit into 1 structure that holds all the electronic components.

Perrybotics Engineering Notebook.pdf

Chassis Design:

The robot was designed holistically, with all subsystems developed in parallel after establishing clear design requirements: it had to score, descore, and climb obstacles. From this, it was clear the chassis needed to be robust, lightweight, and low-profile. Initial 2D geometry was created in Onshape to map out the base layout, including motor positioning for the drivetrain, intake, and catapult. The structure was built from ½” × 1” aluminum channel and assembled using gussets and rivets. The drivetrain featured eight wheels—traction wheels inside and omni-wheels on the corners—driven through a 3:4 gear ratio to maintain full drive power even if wheels lifted. The robot could climb 3” obstacles. The catapult gearbox used a 1:5 torque ratio with triple slip rings, enabling up to 60 shots per minute. The catapult used an adjustable metal wire hard stop. All forces were routed into the main chassis tubing, protecting the shafts from stresses.

Intake Design:

The intake was designed using 2D geometry sketches to define the triball path and guide it directly into the catapult. It uses a 1-degree-of-freedom arm, with the linkage actuated by pneumatic pistons—a separate motor powers both intake rollers through a chain routed along the pitch axis to eliminate slack. The linkage is made from ½” × 1” aluminum channel and covered with a Polyoxymethylene skirt to prevent entanglement.

Manufacturing:

Robots were prototyped using a Dremel laser cutter to precisely cut balsawood components for early testing. Structural elements such as C-channel and gears were fabricated using a table saw, while all key tolerances and fits were controlled in CAD to ensure proper alignment. Iteration and testing guided material choices, and the final design balanced strength, weight, and manufacturability within competition specifications.

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