Key Takeaway: Sheet metal design and manufacturing techniques and best practices.

An intuition for when and how to use a linkage or cam on a FIRST robot. and cams provide advanced and efficient motion on FIRST robots while saving space and complexity. However, designing them can be a daunting task. This presentation will help new designers build a more intuitive understanding of when and how to use linkages and cams on FIRST robots.

Some of the topics covered:

• What are linkages and cams?
• When to use a linkage/cam instead of an actuator?
• Common styles of linkages/cams and when to use that style.
• Mechanical advantage for linkages/cams

About the Presenter:

Orion DeYoe is a FIRST alum with 15+ years of experience designing competitive robots and giving back to the FIRST community as a mentor, volunteer, and supplier.

Senior Manager of Mechanical Engineering at FIRST HQ, Orion is passionate about helping teams of all levels and backgrounds succeed in all of FIRST’s arenas. He was most recently Lead Design Mentor for FRC team 3005 RoboChargers and its various FTC programs.  Prior presenting experience includes, FIRST Mentor Conference 2024 and the Geared Up Mentor Conference 2024.