Intake Mechanics: Surgical Tubing “Noodles”

At every competition, you hear the THWACK THWACK THWACK of intakes. That is the sound of surgical tubing. The “Beater Bar” is the most common intake in FTC. Here is why.

Concept

A spinning shaft with flexible surgical tubing attached. It spins fast (2000+ RPM). It blindly strikes everything in its path.

Why it Works: Compliance

The key word is Compliance (Flexibility).

1. Forgiveness: You don’t need to line up perfectly. The tubing bends and grabs the artifact even if you hit it sideways.
2. Safety: If you hit the wall, the tubing bends. It doesn’t break.
3. Speed: It grabs instantly upon contact.

The Downside: Chaos

• Messy Transfer: The intake is violent. It throws the game piece into your robot hard. You need a good hopper/indexer to settle it.
• Tangling: If the tubing is too long, it will tangle with itself or other robot parts.

Tuning for DECODE

For the DECODE artifacts (which are rigid plastic), surgical tubing is perfect. It provides the friction needed to grab smooth plastic without needing precise alignment.

Verdict: The “Old Reliable” of FTC. If you are a rookie, build this first.