"Steamy" 2.007 Robot

3rd seed, MIT 2.007 Robotics Competition, Spring 2022

Custom Linear Slides

  • Utilized rollers to reduce frictional loss in linear motion system

  • Maintained a parallelism constraint of 0.002" over 12", resulting in smooth motion

  • Controlled tolerances on rollers to reduce the wobble on the end of the linear system

Yep, that is a functional PCBA designed in the span of 1 month for a competition.

Using Data to Improve Designs

  • Utilized current draw data to determine the optimal gear ratio for DC motors

Shown: Current draw of motor. Stall current is 2.5A, and the shown motor can be geared down 1.5-2x to get to an average current draw of 1.25A.

Executing changes

  • Modified the gearbox by removing gears and cutting shafts in order to achieve a gear ratio that is closer to the maximum power output of the motor