NOMAD is proud to present our 2025 robot design!
Overall Design
This design is inspired by 2910’s 2023 robot, particularly the wrist joint, pivot placement, and chain tensioners. It is also based on our own experience in 2023, especially in the elevator architecture, dual chain runs, and wire routing. Though it has several chained degrees of freedom, we can draw on our controls experience from 2023 to drive the arm effectively and safely.
Appearance
The CAD design’s colors accurately represent our robot. Thanks to a local sponsor, we were able to anodize our Mk4is, elevator bearing blocks, tube plugs, and box tube stock, earlier in the season. This anodization creates a striking contrast between the structural members and the CNC aluminum plates.
Motion
This robot is designed to intake coral with the arm folded down, then score it out the other side with the arm raised and extended. It’s a pass-through intake for coral, stopped by a surface on the elevator.
Ecosystem
This robot is designed to use Kraken X60s as the only motor, connected in some cases by the ReFire adapter boards. We appreciate the ReFire boards because they do not extend the length of the motor with the signal-level connectors like the official PowerPole Adapter Board.
Drivebase
- 28”x28” frame
- L3+ (16t) Mk4i
- Kraken X60, CANCoder, CANivore, Pigeon 2.0
- Black nitrile billet wheels
- Brainpan + Battery pan electrical design
- Rubber grommets on all wire access holes
- Custom swerve covers
- ⅛” wall tubing
- 43 lbs without battery
Pivot and Structure
- Powered by 4 Krakens, as low as possible
- 79.365:1 reduction
- Easily tensioned #35 chain
- Absolute CANCoder 1:1 with pivot, off-axis
- MAXSpline stub axles hold elevator
- Bolts into crosstubes, frame, and brainpan
- 16.8 lbs
- Camera, RSL, and radio mounts are not shown
Elevator
- Powered by 2 Krakens
- Drive motors stay below pivot shaft throughout travel
- 3.6:1 reduction; 1 Kraken rotation is 2.64 inches of travel
- Cascade driven by 15mm wide belt and dyneema cable
- 2x 6lb rated constant force springs to help extension time and weight
- 0.27s extension time at 12V
- 17.9 lbs
- Cable chain routes wire from brainpan to end of elevator
Hand
- Optimized for both coral and algae
- Lightweight and structural
- 1 Kraken for wrist pivot, 1 Kraken for all rollers and axles
- Able to score all 4 coral levels
- Able to de-algae, score in the processor and net
- Potential to intake algae off the floor
- Gaps between flex wheels straighten coral
- PWF Time-Of-Flight used to detect lateral coral position, adjust alignment pose
- TOF powered with ReFire adapter board off hand Kraken
- 9lbs
Deep Climb
While the final design is still in progress, we have decided on the location and method for climbing. Our plan involves pivoting the elevator vertically, attaching it to the cage, and bringing the pivot back down to our frame.
The climb style is most similar to Unqualified Quokkas’ V1 robot, with two grippers that hug each pole.
Conclusion
Our design is coming in comfortably underweight, giving us room to balance ballasting and acceleration.
This is our first full revision of CAD, and we’ve already started manufacturing and assembling much of this design. We expect to learn a lot about where it works or doesn’t work through that process, so stay tuned for our discoveries!