Re: Who is building 2 robots
 

team 217 had built two robots for the past two years, its a very good practice and gives the drivers extra practice, and allows us to make improvements to the robot after the ship date.

Re: Who is building 2 robots
 

We didn't build an identical second bot' last year, instead we modified the 2002 robot and used it to work out the bugs in the Auton program as well as practice different strategys. It also gave the drivers much needed practice.

This year we are building 2 robots without a doubt. Once you have the drawings completed making duplicates of all the parts isn't haard once you have the pieces laid out and have the machinery setup to cut the parts. We will build the 2 simoultaneously. We won't however, have to make a second set of transmissions. The 2003 trannys are still in great shape and will be interchangable with the 2004 trannys. Although the '04's have some major improvements. On Saturday, we are even going to order a complete set of 04' controls for the second machine. That serves 2 purposes, 1) spares if we should have a failure during a competition(which happenend in Ypsi last year!) and 2) will allow us to use the same programming for both machines.

One parallel FIRST is drawing with NHRA Drag Racing and NASCAR is the competitive teams run at least 2 car teams so they can sort out the tuneup for each track twice as fast. Robots are no different. Having a full scale practice field and 2 identical bot' gives you the oppurtunity to sort out the "tuneup" that much faster. :cool:

Re: Who is building 2 robots
 

My team does this to some extent, but usually we'll try some stuff on the previous years robot and see how it works out before putting it on the new 'bot.

Re: Who is building 2 robots
 

generally my team has nither the time or money to build a second bot. even if we didnt spend any money on frills (in our case plain t-shirts and ink jet iron ons, and one of those little box frame furniture scooters for the bot) we're still way too impoverished. usually we try and put all the effort we can into one good bot. we have a custom frame donated by a local aluminum mill (generally its a heavily modified box) then the rest is effort, like drilling and pounding. we don't have any aluminum welding ability, so we are completely dependant on our sponsor's metal shop, and that can take 3 to five days to get anything back. if we did anything it would probably be a simulator for the drivers, but that's not my department I do the mechanical junk...

Re: Who is building 2 robots
 

To those teams who do build 2 bots: What is your second bot like? Are we talking an identical clone, a wooden or 8020 mockup with duplicate subsystems, a cardboard and wood model with no semblence?

Re: Who is building 2 robots
 

All right, given that veteran teams have a lot of old control system parts laying around, it might make sense to build a second bot. Unfortunately, the most expensive part of the control system, the robot controller (2003 cost: $449. 2004 cost unnanounced to my knowledge) has changed drastically. Since the robot controller will need to be shipped with the robot (at least I assume it will) will you buy an additional controller for your second bot?

Re: Who is building 2 robots
 

which is seriously boo if you cant fund it. I dunno, I was thinking now about all the old junk I have lying around that I usually make into demonstrations, so maybe some of those complete systems could be used to at least make a drivable second bot. unfortunately I doubt wirght ditrobution could be duplicated, and we definetely cant afford to mock up a field. I hope this year is like 2002 where there was just carpet needed to mock up a field. that would make it so much easier for us.

Re: Who is building 2 robots
 

If everything was cutlist'ed maybe, but not cut to fit, everythings done on a whim after the frame and drivetrain

Re: Who is building 2 robots
 

As was mentioned before, last year we were allowed to keep the controller when we shipped the robot. This was done so all teams couls at least continue working on the autonomy programs on the edubot. If the rules are the same this year (we hope), then it will not be an issue.

Re: Who is building 2 robots
 

To me this question can be answered in two ways with two different purposes in mind. One way is if you only want to be able to drive the robot and increase the drivers skills then why couldn't you use an old controller with a basic program wrote for it? The second way is if you need to or wanted to practice the autonomous mode more, then buying a second controller would be important and needed.

As for veteran teams and what they are doing... I believe that Team 68 will end up buying a second controller due to their want of using what we actually will during the competition. I believe that Team 857 will be using the other method I mentioned since we are after all college students who don't have anything better to do then reprogram in a different language and use the old controllers. I guess it depends on the price of the controller.

Re: Who is building 2 robots
 

We also build twin bots for many of the same reasons that others in this thread have discussed. We were finally able to achieve this by developing a RAPID DESIGN SYSTEM using Inventor and an extensive library of common parts as well as a RAPID PROTOTYPE SYSTEM which is like having a FIRST version of a Lego Mindstorm kit. We generally assemble a bot from the RPS and then re-manufacture the parts we used, plus some spares, for the official bot. The RPS bot stays at home for practice and inspiration. We've been at this for years so we have quite a collection.

Here's a pic of a portion of the RPS.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/pi...gle&picid=5854

Last years bot using the RDS & RPS.

2003 RCR Design