Problem

Our team was tasked with designing and building a ball hopper for FIRST ROBOTICS that could store up to 5 balls and operate entirely with one motor. The challenge was to create a system that could fit within the size constraints of the competition while still being efficient and innovative.

We also needed to ensure that the ball hopper had dual outputs and 90-degree drives powered by an elevator to assist in ushering balls into the elevator. This required us to design a dual shaft gearbox to run the elevator belt systems, which added another layer of complexity to the project.

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Solution

To meet these requirements, we designed a ball hopper using Solidworks that utilized a single motor. We created a dual shaft gearbox that ran two separate elevator belt systems, each with its own output. This allowed us to achieve the necessary dual outputs while still keeping everything compact enough to fit within competition regulations.

The 90-degree drives were powered by the elevator, which helped guide balls into the system more efficiently. We also made sure that our design could hold up to five balls at once, ensuring maximum efficiency during gameplay.

Impact

Won most innovative design at FIRST ROBOTICS competition
Increase in efficiency by X%
Decrease in time spent collecting balls by X%

"This project had an incredible impact on our team's success at the competition. Our innovative design not only helped us win an award, but it also significantly increased our efficiency and decreased the time spent collecting balls."

Team

Team Member #1 - Mechanical Engineer
- Designed and fabricated the dual shaft gearbox
- Oversaw the fabrication of the ball hopper system
Team Member #2 - Electrical Engineer
- Designed and implemented the electrical components of the system
- Oversaw testing and troubleshooting of the final product

1155 Sciborgs 5 Ball Hopper