Category: Stronghold

2-18-16

Build Team

Update: Today we continued to assemble and wire the robot(s), and made a list of the major components that still need to be manufactured and assembled for both robots.

Control

Update: I mostly just helped the captains try to wire the robot. One of our group members looked up some rules.

PR

Update: Today we worked on our wanted posters, got t-shirt sizes, and filled out some paper work from FIRST.

Captains

Update: We spent most of the day wiring up the competition bot. It is not done yet though. We also held “call-back auditions” for chairman’s and it has been decided by a PR group member and the captains that one of the build team members is our top choice to perform with the captains at competitions. we also have the understudy, and the understudy’s understudy.

2-22-16

Build

Update: Tonight, we focused on refining major parts of both robots. We made the dragon tails out of lexan plastic, and they’re looking ready to go.

Control Update

“So much wire and not enough space.”-one of our team coaches.
Everyone wired. One of our group members worked on the drive programs for the robot and the start of the auto target.

Scalar

Update: One of our group members was only ble to be here for a short time and helped one of our mentors with the “Archie-Arm”. I flip-flopped between assisting one of our mentors and wiring with a coach. Super excited we’re almost done!

Inventory

Update: Drilled all holes for the new battery cart, Mostly done assembling for the cart as well. All that needs to be done is the installation of the chargers themselves which should be finished tomorrow.

Captains

Update: Worked on wiring the competition robot.

 

2-17-16

Build Team

Update: Today, we continued assembly of both bots. We listed out the specific parts that still need to be machined, in hopes of getting them machined tomorrow. We started bumper assembly as well. Electronics are expected to be put on over the next few days. We also spoke briefly to Independence’s Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education, Dr. Brad MacLaughlin, about our robot.

Scalar Team

Update: The team sorta split today. Some of us  worked with one mentor and the rest with another. The first group worked on the shooter release mechanism by testing the pressure on the device versus the force needed to release the device. The second group worked on the arm attachment that would complete the drawbridge and Sally port. We finished the mock-up mechanism and dimensioned the geometry necessary to prove our design works within all limitations and rules. We later created an inventor design of the attachment labeled “Archie-Arm”. Also, on a side note, one of us worked with another student for a short period assembling a motor and encoder gear ratio system for our coach.

Control Team

Update: I wired the new pneumatics all day. We wrote a program that controls the shuttle on the shooter to pull the spring back and release.

PR

Update: Today we updated the blog and took more pictures and videos for Chairmen’s and for our blog. We worked on uploading pictures on our rough draft of our poster for the pit and then we created a prototype of our 3D castle that will have a functioning draw bridge for people to grab badges out of. That was a lot of fun! We also worked on some of the mentor “wanted” posters.

Captains

Update: We worked on the pieces that go on the inside of the folders for Chairman’s. We helped the control group figure out most of the pneumatic system. We collected hopefully everything needed for an electronic and pneumatic system into a bucket.

2-16-16

2-15-16

Scalar 

Update: Today we had the privilege of working with our mentors within our little group. We continued to work on the arms to get past the drawbridge and sally port defense.  We are now utilizing a ruler, spring, wood, golf ball and eventually Velcro and string 🙂 (along with metal, obviously lol).

CAD Team

Update: Today, we started assembly of the second robot. The chassis has the gearboxes, wheels, and chains on it. It’s not too far off the first robot.

Control Team

Update: We worked on getting the autonomous routing system working with extra functions like running two actions at once. We worked on getting a different way to do the “up and over” program by using the displacement command from the navx. We also worked on getting the encoders to stop a motor when you get to a certain position.

Chairman’s

Update: Chairman’s script is finished! We will be devoting the whole rest of the time to the video.

Captains

Update: We worked on Chairman’s and helped finish the script. We are still working on the items that go into the folders for the judges. We worked on placement of electronics. We also learned some stuff about machining from a mentor and helped more the scalar part around on the robot so that it only stuck out 14.75 inches from the frame at a 90 degree angle.