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Unread 14-02-2013, 14:13
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AKA: Kat
FRC #4096 (Ctrl-Z)
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Rookie Year: 2004
Location: Katy, TX
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Re: What are some of your rookie/silly mistakes?

Not my own, but there was a rookie team I ran into at the 2004 Sacramento that had not realized that there was a ship date until they got an email the Friday before. The entire team thought they had until the competition to build. They had to build a crate and robot in ~3days. They called it the 72 hour robot. I believe we referred to it as "the plywood box with wheels." It was mostly wood, with a pair of window motors direct mounted to the two drive wheels. They had taped paper signs onto the sides with their team number and school name. The team ended up as an alliance captain that year, if I remember correctly.

Of my own teams' "rookie" mistakes:
  • Not removing our safety strap that held down a spring-loaded arm of our only scoring mechanism in 2005 during a Quarter Final match
  • Several battery attachment/mounting issues that resulted in a dead robot
  • A robot cart so tall and narrow it was a hazard
  • Not including a good regulating mechanism between our hopper and shooter in 2006. Very few balls were fired when intended.
  • Wheels with so much friction that the drive motor fuses tripped within a second of driving. We thought it was a communication issue. Hint: 1/2" thick neoprene is not a great wheel tread.
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