One part of our strategy this year is to learn from the problems of last year (and the year before, and...) by having a checklist of things to make sure the robot is ready to go. I can think of a few things (mostly things we've had problems with) like:
- check screws holding radio modem cable to modem and controller
- replace main battery
- replace backup battery
- check tension on belts/chains
- check drivetrain for loose bolts
- circle the robot 3 times chanting "Hold Together, Hold Together"
Anyone care to add to this list?