Time to give the reason we posted this poll.
Since we opened the box on the control system back in December we have had nothing but different hardware problems with it. let me explain.
First of all we are programming with C++ and installed the system on a backing of plywood in a practice robot base with a shooter mechanism mounted to it. This robot has always been kept in a classroom away from metal working tools- no shards or such other than what is generated by the machine itself. The cRIO is electrically isolated from the frame. We are using only Victor 884s for speed controllers.
Now for the fun-
Our first problem came when we tried to install programming and set up the system. At that time we discovered that one of the ethernet ports on the driver station was working intermittently. Since you need to chain the download through the station this completely screwed up our installation and only after reimaging and such with a new driver station (purchased) did we get it running right. (hence the earlier posts here expressing much dismay)
Weeks went by and code was being developed. Camera tracking, various sensors, drives- all seemed to be working. Then disaster #2. The 12V bridge modem port on the distribution board simply stopped working. Likewise the diodes of the 5V camera power worked when you touched the board although the connection read a continual 5V when metered. Obviously there was some contact issue inside the board. So we could get anything done we attempted to run the bridge off the nearby 12V source only to find that when the robot was in heavy use and voltage dropped the modem would reset itself and the robot would run away wild (and it pinned Kristian on top of a desk before we could disable it).
At about the same time as the 12V port went dead the cRIo started flashing a status light message and an error came up when we tried to reimage, reset the IPs or do any coding. Fortunately our friends at team 103 bailed us out with their second system and we could continue work. We are working with NI now to rectify that whole situation.
To add insult to injury right after we set up the new system and started to get some code in the
second driver station failed on us. This time the OTHER ethernet port simply stopped working.
So now we sit with incomplete code a week from ship date and thoroughly disgusted with the system, FIRST, robotics and life in general.
Before everyone starts diagnosing that we did this or that wrong let me say that we followed every manual we could find from WPI, FIRST and NI to the letter and we have hundreds of pages of website info read, assessed, filed and followed. We have been painfully careful about static discharge from our hands and clothing. The driver station is grounded per FIRST specs.
The practice robot hasn't driven more than 50 feet or so and has spent most of its time on blocks while being programmed. We aren't banging into walls with it.
So at this point is is a possibility that team 25 will have a non-functional robot at the NJ regional in 3 weeks. It will look nice....
In closing- to theorize what may be happening. When we code and work on programming we are running the robot for extended periods of time. I am beginning to believe that simple extended time use is destroying the system components and that is what somehow corrupted our cRIO. I am not to sure how we program a bot without running it and testing but I am just a robot coach and maybe I am missing something.
So if anyone sees something we obviously overlooked clue us in. We have a major money investment in a 3 event season riding on whether these parts will actually perform as promised.
Thanks
WC
