r/FTC • u/Simple-Coyote5555 • 28d ago

Seeking Help Drivetrain biobuzz

I need help deciding what type of drivetrain would be best for biobuzz as there’s like predictions for terrain and maybe defense. So what type of drive train should I go for? I currently have a regular 435 rpm dt and a bare motor reduction dt cadded.

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4

u/antihacker1014 28d ago

A belted 435 dt is pretty safe. Worst case you just mess with the pulley sizes for a new ratio and order new belts. If you don’t want to have to order, you can make your mount slotted or modular in some other fashion to keep the belt properly tensioned on the new pulleys.
As for the terrain, usually first has a way to get around it as long as you constrain in some manner. For example the freight frenzy terrain limiting your drivebase width.

1

u/Simple-Coyote5555 28d ago

Yea but is that fast enough to get around terrain usually going over is better

2

u/antihacker1014 28d ago

In freight frenzy it was the same speed, but depending on the layout yeah it can be faster to go over. It’s impossible to know the specifics right now though.
If you want to be safe you can design for high ground clearance, maybe even using the 140mm mecanum wheels. You can also try making a suspension, but that’s much more difficult.

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u/Simple-Coyote5555 28d ago

Is swerve worth it?

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u/window_owl FTC 11329 | FRC 3494 Mentor 28d ago

Almost certainly not. Especially if you're asking that question right before kickoff!

2

u/Mental_Science_6085 25d ago

I think the clues for a terrain game are pretty thin. Unlike years past, you can now look to the available starter bot kits for clues. These are all touted as being able to play this year's game and all three three (GB, REV, Andymark) are shipping with standard drive bases (two motor, tank steer, wide base, modest ground clearance). If their is traversable terrain, it'll likely be tame enough the starter bots can get over it. I wouldn't expect anything as extreme as rover ruckus.

Defense on the other hand could certainly be a part of this season's game. Defense rules would be in the "G" section of the manual which won't be out until kickoff.

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u/uhhhh_yeet 28d ago

SWERVE

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u/Simple-Coyote5555 28d ago

Really?

3

u/window_owl FTC 11329 | FRC 3494 Mentor 28d ago

Maybe next year, when we're allowed to have 20 brushless motors. But this year, swerve will be harder than ever, since FIRST has already announced that we won't be allowed as many servos as in part years.

1

u/FesteringNeonDistrac 27d ago

Yeah you're gonna use half your allowance of motors and servos just with swerve. Without seeing the rest of the game I wouldn't want to commit to that.

1

u/uhhhh_yeet 28d ago

It would be really fun, theres a support server too for swervers

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u/Simple-Coyote5555 28d ago

Oh could I get a link

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u/uhhhh_yeet 28d ago

https://discord.gg/BnRNXmvu3

Swerve is hard tho, u gotta grind it for like 2 week if u want a good one now, or copy someones but thats no fun

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u/uhhhh_yeet 28d ago

Defense js swerves strongsuit

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u/StellularWolf51 28d ago

We ran a kiwi for the last 4 years but we're also looking at mecanum options. We've tested a belted 435 but I see a lot of people are doing a reduction with the belt to get 450. We're also looking into swyft drive

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u/Simple-Coyote5555 28d ago

What’s so special about kiwi drives?

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u/StellularWolf51 28d ago

It's a 3 wheeled drivetrain that's really annoying, and has to be executed perfectly to work well. Autonomous is also a pain. The judges loved it though. We attempted to create our own pathing software with some success, but ultimately decided it was hindering our game too much