Using 12mm Hex Drive Wheels and Tires with TETRIX Max

Using 12mm Hex Drive Wheels and Tires with TETRIX Max

There are numerous outlets for 12mm hex drive tires and wheels.  While these components may not be the preferred choice for standard robot mobility, for those builds where speed, traction, ground clearance, turf traction, or Search and Rescue, these provide options not available within the robotics provider’s’ inventories.  In researching, I have found sources for wheels and tires.  Good, inexpensive, high-quality tire sets are available for 1/10^th scale RC trucks and cars in 12mm hex drive.  They come in a plethora of tread patters in various degrees of aggression.  While the hex drive adapter used for the wheels will match, the connecting hex cap screw that holds the wheel to the hex adapter may not fit the center hole in the wheel.  If that is the case, there is an adapter kit available from ServoCity that fixes the problem.  It contains the screws, washers, and hex drive adapters to attach virtually any aftermarket 12mm Hex Drive Wheel set to your drive axles. 

Here is the tire with adapter:

Here are a few good sources for 12mm Hex Drive Wheel Sets:

Amazon.com

Ebay.com

ServoCity.com

Resources For Robotics

Resources For Robotics

Build Guides

• Tetrix Basic Robot Builds
• Game Specific Tetrix Bot Design
• Hardware Video Tutorials

Wiring Guides

• Robot Wiring Guide
• Robot Wiring Video

Checklist

• Robot Reliability Checklist

Programming

• RobotC website
• RobotC for VEX Curriculum
• Arduino Platform Summer Camp activities at LTU, 2012

Robotics Curriculum

• Beginners Coding Guide from AT&T Internet Servce
• Robotics Academy | Free RobotC Compiler for Robofest Teams
• NASA Robotics Curriculum
• USC Resources | USC Resources 2

TETRIX MAX

• TETRIX Builders Guide
• TETRIX Wiring Diagram
• Getting Started Guide
• PITSCO Electronics
• FTC Test Build and Tips
• Simple Pushbot Building guide

Using Alternative Components with TETRIX

• Adding LEGO Parts to TETRIX Robots
• Programming TETRIX with Mindstorm LabView
• ServoCity
• Lynxmotion
• Robot Shop
• FIRST Tech Challenge Team Checklist

THIS POST WILL BE MODIFIED AS I FIND NEW RESOURCES.  I have since decided to create a stand-alone page for resources and links.

STEM and Robotics

STEM and Robotics

• These and other learning values are supported by robotics.  
• We want to integrate programmable modules into the process.  
• Hoke County Schools STEM Camp will include robotics and building a micro computer processor in its program this year.

Things we want to cover:

1. Task identification
2. Task analysis
3. Problem identification
4. Problem analysis
5. Solutions design
6. Testing solutions
7. Robot design and requirements
8. Hardware alternatives
9. Robot design test and modification

The Plan For This Blog

    

WELCOME TO WHMS ROBOTICS 

After watching the Hoke County School District's Robotics Competition, and deciding to become a part of it for next year, I have decided that this blog will catalog the competitions, guidelines, builds and sources for the students to use in developing their skills and interests.  
The district uses TETRIX Max Building System by Pitsco.  

    It is a Middle School to College Level programmable robotics building program.  It is not an inexpensive program.  A standard program set for a school costs over $5400 and an individual kit is $650.  Additional components to make the robots competitive vary in price and availability, but there is no money for that, so the students do fund raisers to fund the program.  WHMS is a Title I school in an agricultural economic environment.






The competition was broken down into six categories:
1.  Sumo Bots
2.  Wrecking Bots
3.  Striker Bots
4. S.A.R.A. Bots
5.  Drones
6. Alice Programming Challenge

We will delve into each of these independently and analyze the steps in designing a successful competitor.  Robotics is more than just putting together a few components that move.  It is about critical thought, problem solving, and the satisfaction of knowing that you can manage a skill set that is beyond most people's experience.

If you have a desire to assist with the development of this program, I will post a list of components and a place to send them.  If you are, like me, researching and looking for quality sources for your own program, welcome.  Let's learn together.