if you can’t consistently manipulate the game piece you aren’t playing the game
your robot needs a wide intake that actually works, the intake is everything
it shouldn’t just suck, it should abduct -> bean’s competitive advantage in 26 was the fact that the intake inhaled pieces off the field even when the robot was driving full speed
wide(asterisk) intakes that actually work, the intake is everything
doesn’t necessarily have to be super wide if u always pick up from hp in specific conditions, but generally good (2910 2023 vs most 2017 designs)
in both contexts though the same takeaway is lowering driver precision, wide intakes in 2023 would hit on the double sub, whereas wide intakes in 2017 made it easier to drop the gear
2024, our intake is wide enough to make it easier for the driver, but also narrow enough to not be able to accidentally intake 2 at once
the robot should be able to slam into the hp station to load pieces, don’t make it do any whacky alignment
Outer intake roller generally should be faster than your robot, inner one higher torque if the game piece is heavier
2x speed so robot at full speed is net positive intake speed still
kinda fake u only need slightly net positive? 2026 concept was just full send basically make the intake a shooter
Star wheels are kinda fake (but are lightweight, fine to use in an intermediate point in a conveyor but don’t rely on it for good contact)
Good intaking rollers have compliance that increases the contact area
So therefore what about surrounding a polycarb tube with a multi layer lasagna? Soft compliant foam w/ adhesive backing, and then layered on top is a grippy silicone rubber w/ adhesive backing? Or cat tongue outer layer
examples
Before you get baited into designing the 254 2023 rack and pinion just look at 971 2019
254 rack teeth can break: 2026 they had to switch to a titanium srpp sandwich (see btb)
look at 2024 citrus intake: Citrus used the round tube + tube nuts for the front roller and hex for the lower rollers
when making a dustpan the back edge can be bent, you don’t have to do some weird attachment like 2024 (see 118 2023 reveal video)