2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

WHAT:
Michigan Advanced Robotics Competition (MARC)

WHEN:
June 19th at 8am and
June 20th 8am

WHERE:
Monroe High School
901 Herr Rd
Monroe, MI 48161

See the attached documents for the agenda, registration form and more information.

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

There are still opening for this year M.A.R.C. Come hang out with us and have some fun. Its a great way to try-out new drivers or give kids on your team to work in the pit that may not have gotten the option during the season.

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

Unfortunately its looking like Team 1675 The Ultimate Protection Squad will be unable to attend this year due to prior obligations. We will miss our friends in Michigan, but hopefully we'll run into you all at other events!

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

Does anyone have a MARC team list?

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

Team 240 is excited for the MARC! We can't wait to compete.

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

Here is the current list of teams signed up:
33
51
66
67
70
74
191
217
240
245
280
302
469
470
910
1188
1504
1718
1732
1918
2337
2832
3096
3322
3538
3547
3604
4130
4390
4395
4507
5436
5695

There are still 15 spots open. Come spend the weekend with us!!!

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

Super excited to be attending our first ever off season event!!!!! Can't wait to compete with all the great teams again.

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

Hi Marjory,
This is John Tu from Team 226 Hammerheads. I had emailed our registration form back in 5/1 and the payment was mailed on 5/22. Please let me know if MARC had received them and if we can still join MARC. Thanks. John

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

Is there a final team list yet.

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

Can't wait to compete!

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

Any rule changes planned?

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

Good Evening Everyone,

Here is a up to date team list. We still have 7 more opening for any team that would like to come and party with us. There is a bowling thing Friday night. I have attached a flyer about it. Also, we are still looking for volunteers. If anyone would like to have fun with us volunteering please email me, marjiejenkins@gmail.com . It is always a good time had by all.

Teams
33
51
66
67
68
70
74
217
226
240
245
280
302
469
470
494
503
548
910
1076
1188
1504
1528
1718
1732
1918
2337
2832
2834
3096
3322
3538
3547
3604
3641
4130
4390
4395
4507
5436
5695

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

1023 not signed up? Shame. Wanted a chance to talk to their drive team

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

They're probably getting ready for IRI.

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

At MARC, there usually aren't any rule changes, but I haven't seen an official yes or no as to any rule changes yet...

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

The only rule changes I remember at MARC was an extra 5 pounds to robot weight.

MARC is more of a "relaxed" event where teams traditionally allow multiple members to drive the robot over the course of the day. Teams then either send their seasoned drivers or best MARC drivers to finals if they make it. The fun of the event is watching some of the best Michigan robots being driven by students with little to no drive practice. Not every team does this, but it's a great way to get a feel for potential drivers for next season.

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

What is IRI? (Sorry I haven't heard of it)

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

IRI is the Indiana Robotics Invitational. It is usually considered the most competitive FRC event, even more exciting to some than Worlds. The top teams around the world apply for a spot, including World winners. IRI changes the rules a bit to make the game more competitive; the standard being an additional 5 pounds for your robot weight. Some of the changes this year include the removal of the can wars, 2 RCs for each alliance to place at the beginning of the match, and 12 extra totes for the human players on each alliance.

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

Thanks for letting me know! 😀

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

I was never a huge fan of the can wars, but they are part of the game and Michigan teams (including many of the teams at MARC) built some of the best canburglars out there. I am glad they didn't get rid of them here.

We are looking forward to MARC. Our 2015 driver graduated, and will be our field coach. Our button jockey will be driving. Our HP will be the button jockey. One of our FTC graduates will be the HP (and/or driver or button jockey).

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

Here is the most up to date team list:
33
51
66
67
68
70
74
217
226
240
245
280
302
469
470
494
503
548
910
1188
1504
1528
1718
1732
1918
2337
2832
2834
3096
3322
3538
3547
3604
3641
4130
4390
4395
4507
5090
5436
5695

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

548 is pumped for MARC this year

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

Yeah, it doesn't help the teams with the four hooks :D , but I can see why they did it. It isn't to be more competitive, (taking a mini-competition out proves that) but rather to score the most amount of points possible while staying within the core game.

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

Just so everyone knows, BRING FANS! it was definetly hot last year, and we popped a breaker. Just warning everyone so this doesn't happen to you!:)

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

Does anyone from 1528 know if there was a temporary HVAC issue in the gyms, or if they aren't air conditioned?

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

We've gone for a few years now, and it's always hot

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

There's no air conditioning in the gym. :( The pits are in the commons, which is air conditioned.

There's talk each year of the school putting in AC, but it doesn't look likely.

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

:D Yep.

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

Sadly team 1188 had to back out due to lack of student commitment :(

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

Had a blast with 548 74 and 66 alliance 5!! Glad we did so good. Congratulations to the toasters abd there alliance!

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

Congratulations to the 2015 MARC Champions (alliance #4):
- 3641 The Flying Toasters,
- 68 Truck Down Thunders,
- 226 Hammerheads,
- 302 the Dragons.

See team photo here: https://flic.kr/p/u1EigB
See you at IRI soon!

Team 226 Hammerheads

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

During the opening ceremonies on Friday, the Monroe director of career and technical education said they should have air conditioning next year.

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

We had a great time at MARC this year, and great job everyone who went! AC next year does sound nice... :D

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

Same here! Working with you guys was awesome and I hope to see you guys around at some of our other off season events! Congratulations to The Flying Toasters, Truck Town Thunder, Hammerheads, and The Dragons on winning!

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

On behalf of myself and Marjie - Thanks to all of our volunteers! Hope to get to work with you in the future :)

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

MARC was a blast, as always. Thanks to the Toasters for the invitation and to the Hammerheads and the Dragons for the support. Also, congratulations to the #1 alliance for the great finals. They were some of the best I've seen this year and you guys had us on the ropes.

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

A few of us Toasters were able to stay after and help pack up. We had a blast! It was so fun! I encourage everyone to volunteer as it is not only fun, but good people to spend time with, connections to be made, and lots of laughs at times. My sincere thanks to all the put in so many hours volunteering and thru their efforts make robotics so much fun. It truly is the hardest fun you will ever have.

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

I tried being driver for the first time in competition and it was a blast!

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

I recorded high speed of our alliance's third semifnal match can battle here. I noticed from the video that 1918's burglers only released after 548 and 503 were pretty far down.

Re: 2015 M.A.R.C. ROBOTICS COMPETITION
 

Thanks for posting this video - its much better than the one on my cell phone!

I don't know why we had a delayed start in this match. Maybe something in our software or a field control goblin. Besides starting sooner, it appears to me that your arms also deployed faster. I'm not sure why we got the RC, but I'll take it!

For me, the can wars were the highlight of this game, and we were so excited to finally get the chance to go up against 548 and others at MARC. Unfortunately, only one arm was operational at this point. Lexan can only take so many stress cycles, and after countless deployments during development and in competition, we broke both "wrists" and two release latches this weekend (the last one while setting up for this match).

Our canburglars changed/evolved a lot over the season, right up to and including changes at MARC. They were a great learning experience. The current arms (carbon fiber powered by pre-charged pneumatic cylinders via high-flow solenoid with arm flexure for added zest) for were installed for MSC. At MSC, we used shifter cylinders to release the arms, but they had a lot of delay. For championship, we replaced the shifter cylinders with electric solenoids. They were faster, but sometimes they stuck, so we had to design and build new release mechanisms (still using the solenoids) in the pits on Friday morning - a feat that will go down in NC Gears history.

Those worked really well and made for some good battles in the Newton playoffs. Our burglar arms have lexan "hands" at the tip. The hands are intended to cover the hole in the RC, and they also include the hook for pulling the can. The hands we used at the time would cover the hole when the arms came down, but as soon as we drive off and set the hook, they exposed part of the hole. In a qual match against 1983, we got into a tug of war. We beat them to the can, but their hook dropped into the hole as soon as we drove off. For playoffs, we increased the delay time by a couple of seconds and went up against 1983 again. This time, we beat them to the can, and our "hand" covered the hole while they drove off, giving us control. In the next match, we went up against 3015. Apparently, they knew what our delay was, and set theirs for even longer. When we drove off, their hook dropped in and we had another tug-of-war, which we lost. Our last match on Newton was against 3310, and our autonomous failed to execute. Bummer. I wanted to see the outcome of that matchup.

For MARC, we installed longer "hands" to allow us to drive off without exposing the hole. The added mass slowed us down a little bit, and maybe also contributed to the wrist failure. We had 3 can battles in the semi's (against 67, 226, and 548), and I don't think the longer hands ever came into play. Oh, well. That's robotics.

It was great playing with 503 (Thanks for picking us), 3604, and 280 in the playoffs. Our new drive team got some great experience! Congratulations to the winning alliance. Special thanks to all the volunteers who make MARC possible.