[tjwolter]

Ethan

Mentors have to learn stuff too! In our rookie season we built with paper sketches. But since Solidworks offers free software to FRC, and I found it interesting, I took a Solidworks course and also encouraged the team to tinker with at least simple drawings. You can design non critical parts for 3D printing quite easily with this program.

The part files for recent KoP frames are available, its good practice to "assemble" one with all those darned bolt holes lined up and mated properly. You can at least then do careful measuring of internal dimensions, probably could rough in some simple manipulator assemblies. Doing motion studies is a bit higher up the skill pyramid. We have a couple of younger, smarter mentors who know how to do this but will be letting the team do what they can.

Some much prefer AutoCAD to Solidworks, its a matter of taste. But the latter is a very useful program to learn, and Solidworks appears to keep supplying teams generously year after year. What you don't get done this year you will for next.

T.Wolter