Build Tips & Tricks

Compatibility with 2024 FTC Starter Kit V3.1

An additional item was added to the FTC Starter Kit V3.1 this season, the 5mm Hex Bearing Block. If you are wanting to reuse your FTC Starter Kit V3.1 from the 2024-25 season you will need to order two 5mm Hex Bearing Block.

Adjusting Lap Corner Bracket

When building with 15mm Plastic Lap Corner Brackets the short side nut should always be tightened first before adding the screws in the long side as they block the short side nut. If you find that you need to adjust the short side nut after you have already installed the bracket, you are able to remove the middle nut and loosen the other long side nut then tilt the middle screw to give you enough access to the short side nut to loosen or tighten it.

Seating the Launcher

Step 14 of the Launcher Assembly has you slide the whole assembly onto the six vertical extrusions of the super structure. This step can be tricky because the hex cap screws have to be in the correct orientation to slide into the extrusion, but there a few things that you can do to make it easier.

• Extra Hands! If you have a buddy or two they can work on orientating the hex cap screws while you hold the assembly.

• Loose Brackets. Before this step, you can loosen the screws holding the brackets slightly to allow them to be moved with some force. This will be helpful if you need to adjust a bracket after already seating several other brackets. Be careful though, to not loosen the brackets so much that they slide off the assembly.

• Tape. You can tape the four loose screws that are later used to mount the Flywheel. This will keep them from sliding around and getting caught on the vertical extrusions. It doesn't matter where you tape the as long as they are out of your way. You can also tape the nyloc nuts so that hex cap screws in the brackets are in the correct orientation so that you don't need to adjust them as you go.

• 2-1-3. We found it was easiest to slide the brackets onto the two vertical extrusions first, then move to the middle one and the three vertical extrusions last. The four 15mm Plastic 90 Degree Brackets are the easiest to ensure they are lined up with each other and if you find that you have to adjust a bracket later you don't have to repeat too much work.

Adjusting the Compression

In order to get the best performance from your Launcher, you need your Artifact to be under consistent compression throughout your launcher. The easiest way to do this is to adjust the flywheel at the entrance and exit of the compression zone to be the same distance. In our testing we found 115mm from center of the flywheel to center of the hood to be ideal distance for the best compression.

Vertical Adjustment

In order to adjust the vertical distance, you need to loosen the two Lap Corner Brackets on the central crossbeam as well as the four 45 Degree Brackets on the Hood Supports.

Horizonal Compression

In order to adjust the horizontal distance, you need to loosen the two UltraPlanetary Bent Mounting Brackets holding the Flywheel.