Traction Loss
Traction Loss
Although Optii Odometry should not cause traction issues with proper implementation, some teams may find that with a light robot and multiple odometry pods, the force of the springs may cause the robot to lose some traction on it's driving wheels.
Please note that for accurate odometry results, the robot should be tested on official FTC field tiles with a hard surface below the tiles.
For a guide on mounting Optii Odometry properly, refer to Mounting
Outlined below are 3 solutions which can help teams to solve this issue.
Changing Mounting Heights
As outlined in Mounting, there are many possible heights at which Optii Odometry can be mounted such that it will work effectively. The lower this height, the greater the force provided by the springs of the pod.
Therefore, if possible, raising the height at which Optii Odometry is mounted can decrease the force provided by the springs of the force and hence, help to reduce any loss of traction.
Changing Springs
Alternatively, teams can choose to change the springs of Optii Odometry, rather than change the height at which the pods are mounted.
The springs used in Optii Odometry have the following specifications:
8mm Outer Diameter
30mm Length
0.6mm Wire Diameter
Stainless Steel
The recommended alternative spring should be one with the exact same specifications, but with a wire diameter of 0.4mm.
This would ensure that the springs are functionally equivalent, except for the spring force which would be smaller and hence, reduce any loss of traction.
How To Change Springs
Remove the M5 nuts on each shoulder bolt
Using a 3mm allen key and 8mm spanner, remove the M5 nut from each shoulder bolt.
Replace springs
The wheel and encoder assembly should now slide off the shoulder bolts. Both shoulder bolts should remain in the assembly, and now switch out for the replacement springs.
Slide the carriage back on the shoulder bolts
After sliding the carriage back on, add the M5 nuts back on each shoulder bolt. Tighten these nuts until the bottom of the nut touches the shoulder of the bolt.
Ensure that the shoulder bolts sit flush within the mounting plate. If it is difficult to push the head of the bolt into the socket, use a 3mm allen key and rotate the bolt while pressing drown.
Removing a Spring
It is recommended that this method should only be used temporarily and teams should try to implement one of the previously mentioned methods instead.
To reduce the force of the springs, it is possible to remove one spring from an Optii Odometry pod. Please note that this may result in uneven force being applied to the omni wheel in the pod and hence, could possibly cause issues with the tracking of this wheel.
To remove a spring, follow the method outlined above: How To Change Springs. When removing springs, remove a single spring and then move on to the next step.
Last updated
