Hooray, more questions!
Anyway, I'm looking on ebay for a good Linear Actuator to suit my to be heavyweight robot. Is that the best place? Is there any recommended ones?
Give Ewan a shout
http://www.gimsonrobotics.co.uk/12V-...actuators.html
That GLA750-S looks mighty tempting, but I'll have to measure up before I do anything.
You will need to cleverly support the lifting arm and make it impossible for the actuator itself to bear any impacts; if you land on the open lifter, you're talking hundreds of kgs of force being fed right into the actuator, and it will not enjoy that for long. This is the case in any scale of machine but is more pronounced on the heavyweight scale.
Well, it seems a lot less costly than Pneumatics, but I feel they're more robust. Maybe I shall just save, and learn pneumatics, there's more than enough links on the thread, and I know the dangers of the stuff. Hmm... I'll need to have a good think about this. I could try motor driven, but I know that'll be a pain to set up. I see why most people use pneumatics. It's just a problem of, if I can't do pneumatics, and I have no weaponry or ability to self right, it'd make a rubbish robot... Is it possible to run on low pressure easily enough? Or would that not be worth the effort?
I can't comment on pneumatic systems, don't know much about them, but I do know we have enough pneumatic heavyweights to last a lifetime.
If you can even consider a pneumatics system as a potential weapon power then you can definitely consider motor/gearbox driven, in terms of complexity. I don't know if off the shelf gearboxes that'd be suitable for not that much exist, but I'm sure something is possible. All Sewer Snake, an electrically powered HW lifter/flipper in the US (several times Champion) has, is a heavily geared down HW drive motor leading to a weapon arm by chain and sprocket. As it happens, what we based Tormenta 2's weaponry on. In principle, at least, it's far less complicated than pneumatics and something almost completely fresh for the current UK scene.
I think the problem you've got with Linear Actuators is that, compared to the equivalent pneumatics, they're really slow for a similar effect. I think the only advantages you've got is that they're more compact from what I know, they're not governed by Co2 supply (though that doesn't really bother many flippers I don't think) and they're a lot more controlled. I'd personally go with what Ellis said, a highly geared down lifter/flipper - whilst it may not give you the sheer throw of a flipper, you'll have a lot more control over the weapon, not to mention something quite unique! Of course, I'm sure you already know most of this...
Here's a video that might help you out, it's a rundown of Sewer Snake's innards on Youtube - - I think the system is an S28-150 Magmotor on a 75:1 ratio, across a 2 stage gearbox and a 3:1 chain reduction.
I think it's a slightly older version, but I'd guess the principle stays the same. One thing to note is that, again, unless anything's changed recently, there's no limit switches on the weapon, meaning you'd have to be careful not to have it turn too much and snap the chain, if you do go that route.
So, since I have no chance of affording a Magmotor, of any kind, what motor shall I use? I doubt a Wheelchair motor would give enough power, and a scooter motor? No chance.
Starter motor? I think it only goes one way but you could have some kind of spring return which would help keep it on the floor. Weighs a ton but cheap and has tons of power.
I have some scooter motors at 850w they are also used in tomahawk,are easy to use and just use a sprocket straight to the wheels as they are low rpm but not been fitted but build quality looks great they are available of ebay
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