I did up 3 computer for 1768 for the 2016 season. Until the 2016 season the team had used the school's computers, the specs were depressing. We were continuously waiting for models to catch up after trying to rotate the model a bit. Frequently we would wait 20 seconds or so every time we rotated a model... not only was this annoying, but the time was adding up quickly. We frequently waited 2-3 minutes to log in, another 3-4 minutes to open our CAD software... you get the idea.
The goal for making some CAD machines was to not only eliminate the lag in model viewing, but to completely decimate it. We wanted quick log ins, quick program loading. Basically we wanted to eliminate all of the waiting and maximize our CAD time. And after a few years of ever increasing aggravation, se set the budget accordingly.
Alright, to the fun part...
The three machines were virtually identical with only one smlight difference between them.
I have included links to the parts we used, as well as the pricing (at the time of purchase which was Fall 2015)
CASE: ($45)
NZXT Source 210 S210-001 Black
This was a cheap case, that offered enough space and wouldn't suck up too much of the budget, leaving more money to be spent where it counts, more power
CPU: ($370)
Intel Core i7-6700K
4.0 GHz out of the box. The fast clock speed was attractive given the linear process nature of CAD. Having a quad-core meant we had the cores to throw around for things like renders, FEA and the like.
CPU Cooling: ($105)
CORSAIR Hydro Series H105 Extreme Performance 240mm Liquid CPU Cooler
We had toyed around with the idea of overclocking the CPU, which we never ended up doing (no need). This CPU cooler has proven performance, and is a favorite by many tech testing sites. With a modest price point, simple install, superior performance it seemed like a no brainer.
RAM: ($195)
CORSAIR Vengeance LPX 32Gb
Not much to say here. I had used Corsair RAM in the past and have always had good experiences with it. Throw one in the bucket for brand loyalty I suppose.
Motherboard: ($150)
MSI Z170A GAMING M3 LGA 1151
Looked at what was available with the features we wanted. This fit the bill.
Storage: ($140)
SAMSUNG 850 PRO 2.5" 256GB SATA III
This drive had excellent reviews. Superior read and write speed. This would certainly play into having quick boot speeds, quick program loading, stable saving. Also it has pro in the name, so it must be good
PSU: ($130)
EVGA 220-G2-0850-XR 80 PLUS GOLD 850 W
Provides plenty of power for the machine, fully modular for ease of neat wiring.
Here is where the differences begin. We built 3 computers. The idea was to have two machines that were well suited (overkill) for designing parts and working on subassemblies. We also wanted one machine that was well suited (overkill) for working within the main robot assembly. This matched our workflow as well which involved having one student in charge of the main robot assembly, and working alongside two other students, each working on portions of the robot.
For our "Subassembly" machines we decided to add use the following graphics card.
Graphics Card: ($430)
PNY Quadro K2200 VCQK2200-PB
The specs for this card made it seem like the perfect solution for our "subassembly" machines. Nvidia Quadro cards are known frontrunner in the professional graphics sector, and the K2200 sits in a beautiful position on the cost vs performance curve. DisplayPort connections were another attractive feature.
For our "Main Assembly" rig we decided to up the game a little bit.
Graphics Card: ($890)
PNY Quadro M4000
All of the same benefits of other Quadro cards with the added benefit of POWER.
Monitors: ($180)
SAMSUNG S24C200BL Matte Black 23.6" (The link I had to these is dead, but I am sure you could find them somewhere if you really wanted them).
Dead simple, minimal bells and whistles. These offered 24" of screen real estate. The only downside we saw to them was their awful stands, which didn't matter to us, as the plan was to mount them to dual monitor arms.
Each machine got two of these monitors which was possible due to their low price point.
We ran Windows 10 on all of the machines. Additionally these machines were used just for CAD and CAM nothing else was run except for an internet browser. (Ironically in downloading Chrome, we ended up downloading a Chrome Clone which was a virus... luckily this was easily fixed, however it really emphasized the reason why we chose to keep the machines so locked down just to CAD)
Each machine was put on custom wooden desks which featured a whiteboard top surface for easy sketching during the design process. They also had shelves for the computers below the work surface to keep the top of the desk clean and open. The desks had large casters which allowed them to be easily stowed in a closet when not in use. Our lead CAD student Greg Woelki demanded black for his desk, so I spray painted his black in below freezing temperatures.
After some networking cables, mice and keyboards, we got out of the build for about $6,300 plus the cost of the desks.
Having these machines was absolutely vital to the 2016 season for 1768. The 2016 season saw the most important CAD model the team had ever undertaken. 4 water jetted plates made up more or less the entire frame and superstructure for the robot, so there was no room for error. Hundreds of hours of CAD went into the robot (One member kept track of work hours for students during the season, Greg and I came in at just over 400 hours each during the 6 week build season. I can say pretty confidently that over 50% of that time was spent with Greg on the main CAD machine).
Additionally, owning our own computer presented an unforeseen benefit to the team. During a New England storm power was lost at the school and the team was asked to evacuate. This would have previously meant downtime for the team. However, owning our own computers meant we were able to pack them up and bring them to an alternative location and continue working.
I attached a few photos of the CAD machines although I never made a huge point of photographing them so I apologize for the lack of quality. The last photo shows a bit of the plate construction I mentioned earlier.
~Zac