(11/17/2019)

Abridged Edition by Brian Gray

Lead Ment0rer - Team 5256
Section 1
Standard Traction Wheels
(AM HiGrip, Vex VersaWheels)
Low-cost, no-frills traction wheel.

Pros:
Preassembled, cheap. AndyMark Hi-Grip Wheel
Cons:
Junk when tread worn; Average performance.

Vex VersaWheel
 Customizable Tread
(AM Performance Wheels, AM Plaction
Wheels)
Traction wheel rims for replaceable tread.

Pros:
Custom tread available in various materials/patterns; Performance wheel with Roughtop Tread installed.
More consistent performance if maintained; Durability
of rims; Potential for top of the line traction.
Cons:
Tread can come loose, resulting in extremely poor
traction; Aluminum wheels expensive; Requires
regular maintenance; Increased wear on drivetrain
with aggressive traction.

Tread wear after 25 matches

 Pneumatic Wheels
(AM 8" Pneumatic Wheel)
Traction wheel designed for power scooters
and wheelchairs; Good speed over rough
terrain.

Pros:
Aggressive on obstacles; big; some
adjustability by varying inflation.
Cons:
Valve stem can cause wobbling; Tires can go
flat; Can be too bouncy

8” Pneumatic Wheel with hub assembly

 Omni Wheels
(AndyMark/Vex Omni Wheels)
Wheels with casters mounted around its
circumference to allow lateral movement.

Pros:
Fully omnidirectional in holonomic drives;
Reduces wheel scrub in regular drives.
Cons:
Vulnerable to defense; Poor traction
compared to other wheel types.

Vex 6” Omni-Directional Wheel

 Mecanum Wheels
(AndyMark/Vex Mecanum Wheels)
Vectored wheels for omnidirectional
movement.

Pros:
Full omnidirectional movement at a relatively
low-cost.
Cons:
Vulnerable to defense; Inefficient due to low
coefficient of friction; Requires 4 gearboxes.

AndyMark 6” SR Mecanum wheel set

 FWD/RT FWD/LT
Mecanum
Wheel Motion

Think of each wheel

as moving in 2
directions at once.
FWD/LT
Movement is FWD/RT
determined by the
common direction
shared by all 4
wheels. In this case,
the robot is moving
forward.
 REV/LT FWD/LT
Mecanum
Wheel Motion

In this scenario, the

front left & right rear
wheels are going in
FWD/LT REV/LT
reverse, while the
others continue
forward. Looking at
the common
direction, we can
see the robot will
now move left.
 Assorted compliant wheels

Compliant Wheels
(AM Compliant Wheels, WCP Flex Wheels)

Used for intakes and other mechanisms

designed to pick up or transfer objects.
Pros:
Conforms to accommodate objects of varying
size and shape; Designed with different
material durometers to match
intake/conveyor RPM.
Cons:
Not designed to be used for drive wheels;
Loses effectiveness when dirty.
Section 2
 Six-Wheeled Tank
• Left and Right sides driven independently.
• Dropped center wheels, or omni outer
wheels.
• Left/Right sides driven independently.
• Most common type of FRC drivetrain.

Pros:
Durable; Simple to design, build and program.
Cheap; Ample support for the KOP chassis kit.
Cons:
Standard means you’ll be equally matched
frequently (especially if using KOP chassis);
Slight rocking due to dropped center wheels;
Potential wheel scrub problems with long
chassis configurations.
 Eight-Wheeled Tank
• Left and Right sides driven independently.
• Dropped center wheels (2 per side).
• Left/Right sides driven independently.

Pros:
Durable; Relatively simple to build; More
traction, Better at handling ramps and other
irregularities than 6-wheel, less likely to high
center
Cons:
Custom build or serious modification required;
Greater likelihood of wheel scrub problems
with long chassis configurations. Mo’ wheels,
mo’ problems.
 No Scrubs: Dropped Center and Omni Wheels
Wheel scrubbing is unwanted friction condition caused by sideways movement of traction tires,
such as in a spin or turn. It’s like drifting, but it’s not cool when robots do it. Scrubbing creates
an additional load on drivetrains, causing them to draw more current. Spikes in current draw
can trigger brownout protection, which results in a temporary loss of power to the drivetrain.
Because of this, tank drives typically utilize one of the two strategies shown below.

Example 1:
Tank drive shown with six
traction wheels with the center
slightly lower in relation to the
front and back.
Pros: More traction
Cons: Slight rocking; Wheel scrubbing

Example 2:
Tank drive with center traction
wheel and outer omni wheels.
All wheels are installed on the
same plane.
Pros: Low center of gravity
Cons: Less traction
 Mecanum
• Requires 4 independently driven wheels.
• Wheels must be installed correctly due to
vectored rollers.
• Capable of full omnidirectional movement.

Pros:
Fairly easy to design and build; Good
programming support available; Agile.

Cons:
No potential for pushing force. Challenging to
learn to drive well. Added expense due to costly
wheels and extra gearboxes.
 X-Drive/Killough
• 4 omni wheels positioned on 45° angles in
the corners of the frame (“X” pattern).
• Each wheel must be driven independently.
• Uses all omnidirectional wheels.

Pros:
Agile; Good programming support.

Cons:
No potential for high pushing force. Challenging
to program and learn to drive well. Requires
extra gearboxes.
 Slide
• Similar layout to tank drive, with an extra
wheel(s) perpendicular to the rest.
• Uses all omnidirectional wheels.

Pros:
Fairly easy to design and build. Agile.

Cons:
No potential for high pushing force. Extra
wheels, motors, and gearbox required to allow
robot translate sideways. Middle wheel tends
to get caught going over small obstacles or
uneven surfaces if not actuated to get out of
the way.
 Swerve/Crab
• Uses 4 independently powered traction
wheel modules which rotate on a vertical
axis to control direction.
• Capable of full omnidirectional movement
with a great deal of agility and power.
• Crab steers pairs of wheels together;
Swerve has more complex independent
steering.

Pros:
High speed and pushing force; Agile.
Cons:
Most complex and expensive drivetrain to design
and build, few COTS modules available.
Programming is exceedingly difficult. Requires at
least 8 motors. More potential failure modes.
 Choosing the Right Drivetrain
For the most part, the standard AndyMark Kit of Parts (KOP) chassis is more than sufficient
to complete game objectives. It is easy to assemble, sturdy, and is an overall, tried-and-true
performer.
Despite this, a number of teams opt for alternatives. While the reasons vary and may be driven by cost
reduction, game strategy, or just the desire to tackle a greater challenge, all teams should make this
decision carefully and be sure to weigh all the pros and cons of each option. Whichever option you
choose, it’s important to ensure your team is up to the task and is not building beyond their
means in terms of cost, materials, technical proficiency, and time available
Section 3

Chassis
Fabrication
 Sheet Metal Kit
(AndyMark AM14U3 KOP Chassis; Vex
Drive in a Day Chassis Kit)
Standard kit of parts (KOP) chassis given out at
Kickoff. Good enough for most tasks.
2018 AndyMark KOP Chassis
Pros:
Quick, reliable build; Easy belt and wheel spacing;
Robust construction; Comes with KOP. Help
available.
Cons:
Limited configuration and adjustability
possibilities (without custom machining); Can be
hard to work on in pits.

Vex 2014 Drive in a Day Chassis Kit

 Aluminum Tubing
(Vex VersaChassis)
Simplified fabrication using 1x2 aluminum tube
stock.

Pros:
Tube stock readily available; Adjustable chain/belt
tension; Easy access for pit repairs. Pre-drilled
holes if using VersaChassis. West Coast Drive Chassis CAD drawing

Cons:
Problems if not designed/built correctly; Bearing
blocks and gearboxes can come loose over time.

1”x2”x0.125” Tube
 T-Slotted Extrusion
(80/20, Bosch Rexroth)

“Erector set for adults” available in various sizes

and cross-sectional profiles. Most commonly
found in swerve drive chassis.

Pros:
Robust material designed for bolt-together
construction; Works well when translating linear
motion. Chassis constructed with 80/20

Cons:
Heavy; Fasteners can work loose or break free of
channels under heavy loads; Expensive; Not well
suited for machining.

Various sizes and profiles of T-Slot Extrusions

 Fabrication Techniques
Here are a few of the most common methods of fabricating chassis frames found in FRC.

Nuts and Bolts Riveted Gussets T-Locks Welding

Bolt together construction Most tube stock Specially designed fasteners Clean/durable joints when
using hex head fasteners and construction uses steel for aluminum extrusion that done correctly. Requires
nylock nuts is a common to rivets and T-braces as drop into channels and special equipment. Typically
sheet metal builds well as bolts. tighten with bolts. not repairable at competition.
 Aluminum Steel
For chassis and structural fabrication Fasteners and crucial components

Just like using the right tool for the job, learning where and when to
use the appropriate materials is important for a successful robot build.
Section 4
Arms
Arms consist of a pivot point, a bar and
an actuator. Being powered traditionally
by either a motor set or a set of
pneumatics, they allow rotation about a Pivot Point
given point for the end of an arm.
Typically the torque needed is large, and
as such, teams need powerful motors Bar
and/or pneumatics to move them
effectively.
Both arms and linkages will likely need
software and/or hardware stops to
prevent breaking themselves in the
event they overtravel.

Actuator driven linkage

Four Bar Linkage .
A four bar linkage is very similar to an arm but the
fourth bar will always remain in the vertical
.
orientation. As a result of the force distribution,
the weight applied on the pins/pivots between

.
bars can be very high, and the upper bar will

.
always be tensioned. As a result of the fourth bar,
they’re limited in rotation. Both arms and linkages
will likely need software or hardware stops to
prevent breaking.
. .

.
.
 Real World Example: Arm Forces, Angles & Torque
• Same force at different angle will need more or less torque.
• Weight held at arm’s length will require more effort due to greater distance.

D D

More Distance Requires More Torque Less Distance Requires Less Torque
Arm Power Real World Example
• Same torque with twice the power results in twice the speed when under load
• Stronger is often faster when it comes to handling demanding tasks.

Less Power=Less Speed More Power=More Speed

Continuous Lifts
• Cable Goes Same Speed for Up and Down
• Intermediate Sections sometimes Jam
• Low Cable Tension
• More complex cable routing
• The final stage moves up first and down last

Pros:
Reduced load on motor; Simple drum design; Lightweight
cabling.
Cons:
Slower lift operation; Final stage moves up first and down last;
Potential for jamming; Cable routing is more complex.
Cascading Lifts
• First stage is raised using a pulley and drum
system, while subsequent stages are tethered as
shown in the drawing at right.
• All stages extend simultaneously, resulting in
different cable speeds which must be handled
with different drum diameters or Multiple Pulleys.
• Load placed on the motor is about double the
actual weight of the lift.

Pros:
Faster lift operation; Middle stages less likely to jam; All sections
extend simultaneously; Lightweight cabling.
Cons:
Greater load on motor; Increased complexity with drum sizing;
Cabling must be maintained regularly.
Section 5
 Roller Claws
Good manipulators combining rotary motion and the
grabbing properties of claws. With articulation, are
incredibly effective methods of holding game
pieces, and are relatively simple to build.
Articulated Roller Claws
Same as roller claws, except articulated in ability to
open up jaws of intake. Typically articulated using
motors or pneumatics depending on the situation.

Sometimes roller claws are passively articulated,

using something like surgical tubing to hold it closed
as an item is grabbed.
 Rollers
Great for intakes, transporting or storing balls or other
game pieces. Belts are good for small, single file paths,
with roller cord being good for wider paths. More control is
better, and as such knowing that gravity based feeds will
jam. In addition, the physical properties of game pieces
may evolve or degrade over the course of competition
(under-inflated tubes, damaged boulders, broken fuel).

Pro Tips:
• Ball intake rollers should spin at about
double the max robot speed.
• Material durometer of compliant wheels
should be rated for the RPM of the intake.
• If using a shooter, it should match or double
the intake RPM (your mileage may vary
depending on ball types and other factors).
 Single Wheel Shooter
● Distance can be varied by
changing wheel speed or changing
angle of guide rail.
● Spin is constant.
● Wheel needs to be mounted
vertically.
 Two Wheel Shooter
● Distance is determined by speed
of wheels.
● Spin can be varied by relative
speed between two wheels.
● Wheels can be mounted vertically
or horizontally.
 Hoppers
A massive bin of game pieces are a staple of
traditional FRC design, especially in the “golden era”
where shooter games were common. However,
serializing the game objects was a major issue and
as such, hopper design circulated around it. Some
teams achieve this by copying a “dye hopper” design
from paintball guns, but this isn’t always necessary.
Section 6
 Component Overview
On-Board Setup
All pneumatics components, including air compressor,
are installed on robot.
Pros Cons
• Much lighter than motors when several are used. • Heavy “upfront cost” in terms of weight/space.
• Can maintain position at stall without failure. • Excessive air requirement may lead to a higher
compressor drain on battery.
• Can be used in more compact environments.
• Compressor Duty Cycle.
• Actuation can be very fast.
• Vibration in system.
• Typically rugged and resistant to impacts.
• Possible to run out of air depending on system design
• Easy to setup and install.
and usage.
• Superior means of producing linear motion.
• Overheating with prolonged use.

Making the Most of Pneumatics

Pneumatics can provide a very efficient and robust means of actuation
in your robot if used effectively in a way that offsets the weight and bulk
of the system, not to mention the additional demands on the battery.
Basically, make the most of your pneumatic system—If you got ‘em, use ‘em.
Standard Brushed DC
(CIM, Mini-Cim, Bag, 775 Redline,
775pro) CIM Motor
Most commonly found in drivetrains 775 Redline
and mechanisms.

Pros:
Varies by model, but generally robust,
simple 2-wire operation, low-cost.
Cons:
Varies by model; Low torque, Weight,
Heat issues, Brush wear, Rules require Bag Motor
one ESC capable of 100W+ per motor . MiniCIM Motor
Brushed DC Gearmotors NeveRest 60
(Automotive, throttle, AM PG series)
Motors with preinstalled gearboxes for large
gear reductions; Many repurposed and Snowblower Motor
included with the KOP.

Pros: AndyMark PG-71 Gearmotor

Higher torques; Can wire two motors to one
ESC; Some resistant to backdriving.
Window Motor
Cons:
PG series models very heavy, Non-standard
output shafts on auto/throttle motors, tend to
be very slow.
 Neo Brushless Motor
A drop-in CIM replacement that’s compact
and lightweight.

Pros:
Efficient, lightweight, small and powerful.
Integrated hall effect and temperature sensors.
Cons:
Only works with Spark Max motor controllers.
Neo 550 Brushless Motor
Out-runner construction in a compact
package designed for intakes and other non-
drivetrain robot mechanisms .

Pros:
Lightweight; Bottom of case spins and has
mounting holes for pulleys and sprockets;
Relatively low-cost.
Cons:
Requires expensive Spark Max motor
controllers; Untested in FRC.
 Falcon 500
Unparalleled performance and efficiency in a
compact feature-loaded package.

Pros:
Integrated Talon motor controller; Best power
and efficiency in FRC; Simplified wiring
requirements; Replaceable spline output shaft;
Air cooling port.
Cons:
Non-standard output shaft; Expensive; Non-
replaceable motor; Untested in FRC.
Section 8
Gears: What You Need to Know
This stuff can get really complicated–and there’s a lot
more to learn–but the following should be the most
important takeaways from this section:
Tooth Count
• The number of teeth on a given gear.
• Gear ratio is determined by the Tooth Count
of one gear compared to another.
Diametral Pitch (DP)
• The number of teeth of a gear per inch of
its pitch diameter.
• Commonly used for sizing gears. The DP of
all gears in a set should match.
Bore
• The size shaft for which the gear is designed
to mount.
If you know the tooth count, DP and bore of a gear,
you have the basic information needed for most
basic applications in FRC.
 Single Speed
(AM Toughbox Mini, Vex WCP-SS)
Single speed drivetrains; Least costly and
simplest option.

Pros:
Lowest cost option for drivetrains;
Customization of overall gear ratio;
Replaceable parts.
Cons:
Only one overall gear ratio.

AndyMark Toughbox Mini

 Two Speed
(AM Evo Shifter, Vex WCP-DS)
Shifting from fast speeds to lower gear
ratios with more torque; PTO models can
run mechanisms.

Pros:
Capability to shift to a different overall gear
ratio; Customization; Replaceable parts; Some
have PTOs.
Cons:
Significant cost; Complexity; Shifters can fail
due to wear or pneumatic/mechanical issues. AndyMark Evo Shifter
 Planetary
(CIM Sport, BaneBots BB220)
Mechanisms requiring a lot of torque for
high loads.

Pros:
Powerful, compact, durable; Parts
replaceable.
Cons:
Can be bulky/heavy, expensive, not modular.

BaneBots BB200 Planetary Gearbox

Planetary Gearboxes at work
Real world examples found in the wild

Pencil Sharpener

Cordless Drill Gearbox

 JVN's Mechanical Design Calculator
A spreadsheet designed to simplify the process of designing effective gear trains.

1. Enter motor info

2. Enter wheel
dia, CoF & weight

3. Select from
gearing options

Calculator will determine Free Speed,

“Real Life” speed, “Pushing” current
draw & overall gear ratio
 Pro Tip: Don’t forget that other
factors come into play!
These are just a few things affecting overall gear ratios:
Wheel Diameter
Sprocket sizes
Winch Diameter
Spooling of cable/rope (size increasing while
winding)
Keep this in mind when determining your gearing.
Section 9
 Shaft
(Round and Hex Shaft Stock)
Primary means of enabling power
transmission for most entries in this
section.

• Rotating machine element, usually circular

or hexagonal in cross section
Can you find all 2 shafts in this AM Toughbox Micro?
• Transmits power from one part to another
• Used for mounting pulleys, gears,
sprockets, wheels, etc.
Sprocket & Roller Chain
Transfer of power in drivetrains and
mechanisms
Pros:
Fairly quick and easy, good strength; Ease of
design and adjustability.
Cons:
Rollers break in after usage, resulting in
“stretching” of chain; Increased weight
#35 and #25 Roller Chain
 Synchronous Belt and
Pulley
Flexible belt with teeth molded onto its
inner surface, designed to run over
matching toothed pulleys.

Pros:
Lightweight and reliable with consistent
performance (does not “stretch” like chain).
Cons:
Can be difficult to get pulley spacing and
tension correct in custom builds;
Replacement usually involves disassembly of
pulley axles.
Section 10

Control
System
Overview
Power Distribution Panel
(PDP)
• Distributes power from battery to rest of
robot.

• Uses breakers to restrict how much

power is sent.
o 40 and 30 amp channels.
o Accepts 10, 20, 30 & 40 amp Snap Action
Breakers.

• Generally terminates CAN* bus

connections. Power Distribution Panel (PDP)

*Controller Area Network

 PWM Motor Controllers
• Receives power from the PDP

• Supplies power to motors.

• Receives control signal via PWM from

the RoboRio.

• Controls the speed and direction of the

motor it supplies with power.

Clockwise from top-left: CTRE Talon, Rev Spark, Vex Victor 888, and CTRE Victor SP
 CAN Motor Controllers
• Receives power from the PDP

• Supplies power to motors.

• Designed to be part of a CAN Bus network,

but can receive PWM from the RoboRio as
an alternative.

• Can be configured to control or be

controlled by other CAN Bus devices.

• Controls the speed and direction of the

motor it supplies with power.

Clockwise from top-left: Rev Spark Mac, CTRE Talon SPX, CTRE Talon SRX, and CTRE Talon FX integrated motor controller..
 Voltage Regulator
Module
(VRM)

• DC to DC converter with both boost and

buck voltage regulation.
o Boost Converter: Steps up voltage while
stepping down current.
o Buck Converter: Steps down voltage while
Voltage Regulator Module (VRM)
stepping up current.

• Used when components require special

protected power.
o Router
o Light Ring
o Flashlight
 Open-Mesh OM5P-AC
(Dual Band 1.17 Gbps Access Point)

• Onboard WiFi lets us connect to the

robot and control it from a nearby
computer

• Communicates with the RoboRIO over

ethernet.

• Connects to VRM for power. Can be

used with a Power over Ethernet (PoE)
injector.

• Must be configured at competitions Open-Mesh OM5P-AC Access Point/Router

o Needs to be reflashed with updates to work
with the Field Management System (FMS)
 NI roboRIO
(Advanced Robotics Controller)

• Brain of the robot

o Where code is uploaded and ran.
o Sends signals to CAN chain and PWM.
o Has Digital and Analog In ports for sensors.

• Has port for signal light

o Signals when robot has been enabled.

• Ethernet port to connect to router to

allow tethered control of the robot. NI roboRIO

• USB ports for devices (camera, etc.)

Section 11
 Wire Gauge
• A measurement of wire diameter using the unit
American Wire Gauge (AWG).
• Sizes range from 0 to 40, going from largest to
smallest.
• FRC sizes run from 4 or 6 AWG for battery
cables, all the way up to 22 AWG for CAN wires.
• If a wire is hot to the touch, it may be not be a
big enough gauge for the load. Don’t be afraid
to go bigger if necessary.
 Stranded Wire
• Single Conductor
• Composed of many pieces of solid wire all
bundled into one group.
• Used when the wire needs to move around
frequently, such as in a robot arm.
• Designated by 3 numbers:
o Overall AWG size, Number of strands, and AWG size of
each strand
o For example, a 22 AWG 7/30 stranded wire is a 22 AWG
wire made from seven strands of 30 AWG wire.

Stranded wire is the standard for machine and robot

wiring due to it’s flexible nature. It’s made up of
several smaller individual strands of wire, instead of
one single larger strand, making it much more
supple, and thus more durable, than solid wire.
If you remember only one thing from this section…
For For all robot
prototypes, component
breadboards, wiring, from
and custom the battery
circuits where cables to the
wires are not entire control
subject to system.
flexing.

Do Not Wire Your

Robot with Solid Wire
Section 12
 Limit Switches
• Probably the easiest of all of the sensors is the limit
switch
• Typically implemented as a simple switch attached
to actuator that indicates that you’ve reached some
end condition
o Switch can be Normally Open or Normally Closed
depending on your logic in the software.

TL, DR:
Most motors just move
things and don’t know how
far is too far, which tends to
break things. By having the moving thing hit
a limit switch we can send a signal to tell
when to stop the motor from going too far.
 Encoders
• Encoders have a number of pulses per revolution
o Given the diameter of the attach point, you can determine how far
the system has moved based on the number of pulses
o Can also be used as a tachometer

• Make sure you purchase the encoder rated for the speed
you’re trying to measure

TL, DR:
Imagine putting a piece of
red tape on one spoke of a
bicycle wheel. Now, spin the
wheel and count every time it makes a complete
revolution. That’s basically what all encoders do.
 USB Webcam
• Often used to stream video from the robot back to the
drivestation.
o Can use a fair amount of the allotted bandwidth
depending on resolution and framerates.
• Also used for machine vision using software such as
OpenCV.
o Will require additional hardware such as a co-
processor and lighting (usually a green LED ring).
 COTS Machine Vision Solutions
JeVois Smart Machine Vision Camera
• Combines a video sensor, quad-core CPU, USB video and serial port in a very small
and inexpensive open source package.

Limelight
• A plug-and-play smart camera purpose-built for FIRST Robotics Competition
• Designed for teams with no vision experience or expert mentors

Pixy CMUcam5
• Fast vision sensor designed to simplify machine learning (Can be taught to identify
specific objects with relative ease)
• Requires a coprocessor (Arduino, Raspberry PI, Beaglebone or similar controller)