View Single Post
  #2   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-03-2010, 22:41
Billfred's Avatar
Billfred Billfred is online now
...and you can't! teach! that!
FRC #5402 (Iron Kings); no team (AndyMark)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Rookie Year: 2004
Location: The Land of the Kokomese, IN
Posts: 8,505
Billfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond repute
Re: Breakaway in review: what have we learned?

Durability. It's different this year from years past; if you undertook basic design wisdom, your robot is probably safe from most aggression from other robots. This is no guarantee that you're safe from the field.

It took most of the Bayou regional for our two teams to find all the little things that fall apart when you go banzai over these bumps. If you've got a practice robot or used the withholding allowance to keep your drivetrain and you haven't built a bump, follow these steps:

Step 1: Build a bump. Go ahead, throw the carpet on it; reasonably close rugs can be had for $20 at Walmart.
Step 2: Run your robot over the bumps three ways:
Spoiler for The three ways:
2a: Early.
2b: Often.
2c: Hard.


This will shake out something that you didn't have to strap down quite as tight in years past. Fix it now rather than later.
__________________
William "Billfred" Leverette - Gamecock/Jessica Boucher victim/Marketing & Sales Specialist at AndyMark

2004-2006: FRC 1293 (D5 Robotics) - Student, Mentor, Coach
2007-2009: FRC 1618 (Capital Robotics) - Mentor, Coach
2009-2013: FRC 2815 (Los Pollos Locos) - Mentor, Coach - Palmetto '09, Peachtree '11, Palmetto '11, Palmetto '12
2010: FRC 1398 (Keenan Robo-Raiders) - Mentor - Palmetto '10
2014-2016: FRC 4901 (Garnet Squadron) - Co-Founder and Head Bot Coach - Orlando '14, SCRIW '16
2017-: FRC 5402 (Iron Kings) - Mentor

93 events (more than will fit in a ChiefDelphi signature), 13 seasons, over 60,000 miles, and still on a mission from Bob.

Rule #1: Do not die. Rule #2: Be respectful. Rule #3: Be safe. Rule #4: Follow the handbook.