Pole Climbing Robot Design: 5m Height, 5 Bricks Load, 30s Wait Time

[salimshk]

Pole Climbing Robot, Please Help!?

Hi, I have been given a project for Mechanical Engineering 1st year. We have been given no ideas and I cannot go to the lecturers for any help and I do not have any previous knowledge even on the basics.

Guidlines are as follows:"Design an robot capable of climbing a standard scaffolding pole to a height of 5m while carrying a
load of 5 standard size engineering bricks. It must automatically stop at a height of 5m, then wait 30
seconds during which the bricks are manually removed before automatically reversing and finally
stopping at the bottom"

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

My initial ideas are four very high friction wheels incorporated into a sort of 'ring' that clamps around the scaffolding pole and some sort of tray with a hole to accommodate for the pole which attaches on top of this ring to carry the bricks. I haven't even thought about motors or any electronics as of yet, but how does this idea sound to you guys? Is it possible for the wheels to provide enough friction to withstand the weight of 5 bricks?

 

[Dadface]

Something along the lines you have suggested sounds pretty good to me.Here's something else to think about...google rope climbing techniques and perhaps that may give you some ideas.It sounds like an interesting project.Have fun.

 

[poleclimber]

Im doing exactly the same thing for my project.
Im lost as to what calculations I need though.
My robot will be climbing a galvanized lamp post and am planning on using either wheels or tracks.
Do I need to calculate friction force seeing as it will be climbing vertically?

 

[berkeman]

Im doing exactly the same thing for my project.
Im lost as to what calculations I need though.
My robot will be climbing a galvanized lamp post and am planning on using either wheels or tracks.
Do I need to calculate friction force seeing as it will be climbing vertically?

Yes, you basically need to use F = mu * N.

 

[poleclimber]

Thanks Berkeman. Ill see what figures I can come up with.
I will need to find mu for rubber and galvanised steel to get F.