Prototyping has been a staple in most robotics teams, and we’re no exception. The prototyping phase helps us test out different mechanisms and weigh their pros/cons against each other. It also provides our newer members with a chance to learn new skills in fabrication, design and use of tools.
We usually kickoff the prototyping phase around the middle to end of the first week of build season. We usually want to get the field elements built and some high level strategy/robot design discussions done before we put screws to wood and build a test bed. The availability of field elements also helps us test the prototypes more accurately, and provides really nice visual feedback whenever our power cells miss the target.
Day 4 (January 7th)
We finally got done with all the field elements, including the trench and control panel. Some of our mentors are a little wary about the stability of the A-Frame Generator Switch, but… we’ll see what happens.
Day 5 (January 8th)
The team split into several prototyping groups, each working on different mechanisms, including the shooting mechanisms, intakes and climbers. Good progress was made, much sawdust was generated, and general fun was had!
It only took eleventy-million tries to get this shot
Being able to prototype quickly and efficiently is an invaluable skill, since prototypes are supposed to be quick-and-dirty, but also serve to inform good design decisions. We enjoy using whatever we have available in the shop for prototyping. Most of the time, that includes 2x4s, Plywood, scrap aluminum tubing, PVC pipe and polycarbonate sheets. These materials are easy to machine, and produce assemblies that are easy to put together. Like Emeril says, “BAM”, done.
Towards the end of the day, we got a couple of different shooting mechanisms kind of done and did some initial testing on them.
Day 6 (January 9th)
More work was done on the prototypes, with refinements to the shooter mechanisms, including adjusting exit angles, speeds and ball compression. We’re trying out a variety of different techniques and seeing which one does the best. We’re also making sure to keep an eye on how everything gets packaged together on the actual robot.
We’re using an old Kit-of-Parts chassis as a test bed for the mechanisms, especially the intake, since it provides a fairly accurate analog to the current Kit-of-Parts chassis which we intend on using.
Day 7 (January 10th)
Legitimate use for a CNC machine
One of the most useful tools we have in the shop right now is an X-Carve CNC Router, which was kindly donated by one of our sponsors. This has been a game changer for our team as we’re now capable of very quickly and accurately cutting out complex pieces, repeatedly. It’s been a while since we fired it up (not since last build season), so our coach ZQ did what any sane person would do, and cut out a fidget spinner. Because of course that’s what you do.
Day 8 (January 11th)
Mmmm rollers
More progress was made on the various prototypes including a variety of elevator designs for the climber. We also got a workable intake going and attached to the prototype robot chassis. More iterations needed on the whole, but we’re on a good pace! We’re actually going a little faster than we did last season, so that’s a good start.
Some of our newer members also started putting together the practice robot drivetrain, mainly as an introduction to “how to read instructions”. They did a great job! We haven’t told them yet that they’ll probably have to disassemble it shortly in preparation for some slight modifications. Shhh!
Also, it was unseasonably warm here in NYC. We need to find a way to prototype outside when it’s 65 degrees…
Day 9 (January 12th)
Ridiculously productive day! We got a bunch of shooter prototypes going, an intake prototype (that had some hidden features!) and a variety of climbing hooks made.
The CNC got put to good use, churning out free-range, artisanal wooden prototype pulleys for the intake, as well as side frames for the various shooter prototypes.
One of the joys of prototyping is watching your ideas come to life, especially if it has a previously unaccounted for side benefit. While testing our intake, we realized that we could actually (potentially) deposit power cells into the low goal. This wasn’t part of our initial design, but as our team mantra goes “if it works, it works”.
This is infinite recharge
Day 10 (January 13th)
10 days in, and we’re in pretty good shape. We dialed in more shooter prototypes, and we have some designs for a climbing elevator. More progress made on the conveyor system and more though was put into how everything gets packaged together. We’re waiting on a bunch more parts to come in this week and can probably start assembling the practice robot frame and cutting out close-to-production pieces on the CNC.
We built a tennis machine
That’s it for the updates for now! Stay tuned for more adventures of the G-House Pirates as we sail through the air like a power cell, uh I mean, sail through this season.
