...And We're Off

Members escaped from the below 10° weather into the lab this morning at 8:30am. Today is our first Saturday since Kick-Off weekend and to say people are excited is an understatement. To begin the day, Chairman’s team travelled to find donations of lumber for our team to build a practice arena. They weren’t able to bring back any lumber to the lab today, but Chairman’s will be keeping in contact with managers from 84 Lumber, Lowes, and Home Depot. Stopping at Dollar Tree was also a priority for the sub-team as they searched for an image our team could create via costumes or accessories that would expand recognition at competition. Our hallway window display is also finished and looking better than ever!

Programming team spent the morning watching videos on how to use the CNC mill and CNC router to cut out parts for our prototype. Safety team made sure that everybody was wearing their safety glasses when needed and they also worked on building the field. Mechanical team was hard at work all day prototyping the tote stacking mechanism, bin handler, and their specialized game piece whilst Controls team revised the drive train, and completed the tele-op model device. Design team set up a station for the tote pick-up mechanism, researched wiring with CAN, and redid the wiring with quick connects. At 4:30pm members ventured back out into the then 15° weather in hopes of warmer temperatures next week.

Kick-Off Weekend

On Saturday, January 3^rd the members met at 8:45am for the live stream kick off announcing this year’s challenge: Recycle Rush!  

The game is played by two Alliances of three Teams each. Alliances compete simultaneously to score points by stacking Totes on Scoring Platforms, capping those stacks with Recycling Containers, and properly disposing of Litter, represented by pool noodles, in designated locations. Alliances have an opportunity to earn “Coopertition Points” by coordinating with the other Alliance in the Match. Coopertition Points are awarded if, at some point in the Match, there are at least four Yellow Totes on the Step simultaneously. Coopertition Points are doubled if the Alliances arrange at least four of those Yellow Totes in a single stack on the Step. Points for the Match are awarded based on the state of the scored objects at the end of the Match (with the exception of Coopertition Points, which can be earned at any point during the Match). 2015 FRC Game Reveal

After watching the live stream our team broke into five groups, mentored by graduated members of team 4296. Each group spent their time brainstorming strategies for how we would approach the game. It was a challenge for the team to only focus on the strategy without delving into the design process, but they managed. After the lunch break the team met in the auditorium to view a video, put together by the Chairman’s team, interviewing some of the members. The Interview (Team 4296 Edition) 

Following this the team began to turn their focus to strategy. The next day the five groups separated again and focused on planning a design for the robot and creating rough sketches of ideas. After lunch when the groups united in the lab they discussed their ideas for the robot designs. Most designs consisted of systems for stacking the boxes as well as for grabbing containers from the center of the field. The idea of replicating a garbage truck was maintained by most of the team. In order to appeal to our potential alliances it was decided that we build our robot to function for both stacking and picking up. The pros and cons of each design were evaluated and the final conclusion, decided on Monday January 5^th, was that the robot would utilize a Mecanum drive train. Linked are two videos explaining the tote stacking design and the container grabbing design.
Tote Stacking Explanation  
Container Arms Explanation

Preseason 2015

Hello and welcome to the newly designed Trident Robotics 2014-2015 blog! Our team has already been busy preparing for the exciting and quickly approaching build season. Over the past few months each sub-team has delegated their time to gaining and mastering the skills which they will utilize during the season.

As is annual tradition our team headed to Abbott Laboratories on November 19^th for a networking night. Students enjoyed pizza while talking to Abbott employees and professional engineers about what they do at Abbott and what it’s like to work in the field of engineering. Chairman’s team began the preseason presenting their findings from a short-term project which tasked them with brainstorming and developing solutions to problems they’d be facing during the season. These included: social media, redeveloping the website, and spirit wear. They also are continuing working on the Industrial Technology window display between rooms 109 and 110. Chairman’s team has been contacting companies for lab sponsorships in order to offset the costs of new equipment like a new lathe. John Kircher, leader of programming team, began the preseason developing an attendance program for members to clock in and out easily. Additionally, every member of the team was taught the programming language C++ and how to use the Wind River compiler. As of now they are hard at work on programming last year’s robot. Genny Korn and Isaac Main, the team’s safety captains, began the preseason making sure everyone took a general safety test, as well as preparing specific sub-teams with the training they’ll need throughout the build season. Mechanical team taught their members how to use certain tools and they took inventory of supplies in order to have the best knowledge of our materials before making any further purchases. Control team was taught how to wire controls components, practiced problem-solving scenarios on the robot, and discussed common problems that addressed things that may occur during the season. Design team has been working on basic mechanical designs and they also have been focusing on west coast drive trains. Furthermore, the team went over possible materials used for the robot and how they will be selected.

We look forward to the fun year ahead!

Day 27: FINAL DAY!

Immediately upon arrival, the teams that came got straight to work. Media & Animation team split off to print ALL the spirit wear shirts/crewnecks. I must say, they turned out pretty good. Business team continued to print member's certificates. Mechanical team adjusted the bumpers, mounted air pressure gages, added a chain guard, and with the help of Controls team fixed a leaking issue. Programming team reconfigured the camera for the robot. Safety team attached the upper cabinet to the the roller for the pit. Overall, this has been an outstanding season for team 4296, but it isn't over yet: some groups will be staying late tonight to continue working! Gooo Trident Robotics!!!

Day 24-26: Crunch Days

We started the day with having problems with the driving. After many tests, we narrowed the problem down to a failed Talon. Once finding and fixing this the robot drove perfectly. The decision to move everything over to our second chassis came shortly after. With our modular design, this task was made very simple. This chassis has a two speed gear box and is raised off the ground a little more with larger diameter wheels. The drive train also uses a chain and sprocket instead of a belt. The controls board was custom made with a CNC ShopBot Router. While facing a shaft we were able to achieve a 5 foot long single scrap; it was spun in a coil. The intake device has been completed with hooks that will allow the ball to come in but not to fall out. We have now completed the robot and are just doing final testing and tweaking.

Day 23: Concentrated Sprint

Today was the last Saturday meeting. 96 hours left of the build season. For some people today is there last day, but for others they’ll be needed for the next 3-4 days.  It is up to the leaders to choose who they want to stay for the next couple days, and if you’re leader doesn’t want you here you are encouraged to protest and talk to Corey as well as your leader about it. If you feel like you could be a value to the team, then try to stay and work. After we tested the robot in the gym on Thursday we’ve figured out that today we need to change gears on the firing piston because it doesn’t work, and add the second piston. This is the last part that we have to modify. Also, we have to finish the control board to make it precise and look nice. Mr. Greene let everyone know that Monday and Tuesday will be the last day to finish. He wanted to thank everyone for a good build season. Ms. Burza told everyone today was the last day to turn in your raffle tickets, because she needs to deposit the money so we can afford hotels and buses. Furthermore, April 3^rd will be the team dinner and everyone needs to let her know how many people you have coming with you by next Thursday. Media team got their load of shirts/crewnecks to start printing on, which they will start next week. Animation team made more props for their challenge, finalized the first, second, and third scenes, and did the voice recording for their mythology video. Business team continued to print the certificate of appreciation pages on cardstock. They also went to Tina’s at Saratoga Square, Kaiser’s, and Potbelly to get gift cards for the raffle. Mechanical team switched the arms on the shooter for steel ones, changed the wheels on the ball shifter chassis to 6in, and continued to build a shelf for the lathe tools. Controls team fixed the 2^nd chassis and tested it. They also made the ball shifter work for high and low gear. Programming team went to the field house to test the ball shifter chassis, and the actual robot. CAD team designed new treads for the intake roller in Autodesk Inventor. Safety team finished painting the shelves, and combined the yellow onto the blue one.

Day 22: Getting work done

Today’s meeting started with Corey telling everyone that we’d be working on wiring the testing board for controls. Then Mechanical team would start to test the board. We also needed to make a precise control board so Programming team could test it, and have mechanical team on standby to adjust anything that needs adjusting. Mr. Greene wanted to let everyone know that if you want to be a leader or captain you need to come talk to him today. Media team ended up not prepping today, but they plan to start printing shirts/crewnecks on Saturday. Animation team made assets for their mythology challenge. Business team went around town to other businesses to collect more raffle tickets. Mechanical team wired the robot. Controls team tried to make the ball shifter chassis move, so they could practice with it. Programming team continued to work on the trouble shooting vision targeting. CAD team put attachments on the pneumatics. Safety team worked on the pit and decided what to do with the trusses.