Aluminum Alloys:

The most common sizes appear to be 2x1x1/8 on the base, and 1x1x1/16 on the superstructure. Using almost exclusively 1/16" aluminium tubing, with 1/8" gusset plates that riveted the whole thing together. Using 3/16” rivets as a standard. The rivets were a weight saving measure after trying to use steel bolts.

I would recommend rivets to a team with an accurate mill and a desire to save weight. With an accurate mill, the gussets and the frame members can be made so the frame is perfectly straight (we have had some problems with crooked welded frames in the past). Also, rivets allowed us to use almost exclusively 1/16" tubing, which saves weight, but is near impossible to weld. I estimated that this saved us 5-8lbs.

If you do decide to rivet (or to bolt and then are forced to go to rivets), keep in mind that you have to size the rivet for how much material it is gripping. Not just any size will do. Also, 3/16" rivets work in #10 holes.

Aluminum Tube Stock Frame?

| Tube Stock |

• A frame constructed from Aluminum Tube Stock
• Team 254 typically constructs robot frames using aluminum square and rectangular tubes - Usually (1" x 1" or 1" x 2" Tube Outside Diameter and 1/8" or 1/16" Tube Wall Thickness)
• Team 254 welds tubes together to create a frame, but it can also be built using gussets, bolts and rivets as well.

• Some teams cut "pockets" into tubes, but pocketing tubes reduces strength greatly while not reducing a ton of weight. It is usually stronger and lighter to just use tubing with a thinner wall thickness.

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Order Aluminium from: http://www.onlinemetals.com/