Huron High needs help - Dead Robot

[kmcclary]

We're in a tough spot. As an understaffed rookie team without a major sponsor, and this being our very first competition, we've been having a hard time getting everything done.

We spent a lot of time simply getting organized, and raising enough money just to get the parts together for this one contest. We still don't have enough students to progress at the rate we really needed to, and the Robotics Club that was supposed to send us help failed to send anyone. I managed to rustle up some Boy Scouts to help last weekend, but we're just simply understaffed.

After several attempts, we've FINALLY gotten our drivetrain running correctly, but we've just hit a robot killer problem with our lift system we may not be able to solve in time with the talent on hand.

When we integrated the system, the torque is too high on certain parts. Things that should slide simply jam instead. It is a systemic problem, that may even require a quick redesign of the slide to include rollers of some kind.

We've tried several ways to work around it, but have been unsuccessful so far, and we're short on time. We'll be working far into the night tonight on this one or we won't have a machine working on Saturday.

We have to solve this toughie, but even so, we still have a LOT of small jobs to do and simply not enough hands to do them.

If there is ANYONE in the Ann Arbor area that is done with their machine and can possibly come out tonight to Huron High School to give us a hand to help us solve this problem and help with some subassemblies, we'd really appreciate it.

If you can come out to help, please don't post here, but rather call me ASAP at ACTI at 734-332-1000, or the school's shop at 734-994-2098 after about 2 PM today for directions to Huron High.

Thanks!

- Keith McClary, Rookie Team 830, Huron High School

[Joe Taylor]

Sometimes when the time is running out you have to change your design on the fly. if you know that it's not going to be possible to finish the robot design you came up with, simplify the design. we (team 461) drove up to hammond last night to practice with beatty, and from what we saw at our practice session, a robot with a beefie drivetrain and some sort of simple flip-out appendage (a pvc pipe on a spring that extends at the begining of the round, for instance) could do a great job of playing defense, blocking other robots and knocking off the oj bottles. but hey, if getting your original design is a possibility, then go for it! we've pulled more than our share of all-nighters working on the robot to get it done on time; thats what FIRST is all about.

hope this helps,

Joe Taylor
Technical director
team 461

[Dan 550]

Hey man, if I'm going to help solve your problem, I am going to need at least a description of your lifty thing. What is it? Rods and plates, rack system, scissors, what? Being in that exact situation in February, I know a thing or two about compromise and cheap, quick repairs/bug fixes. Generally, I'd simply tell you to use some nylon bushings and anti-cease and greases on your lifty thing, and check your clearences between parts. make sure that with a lifty thing they'er at least .008in to allow for some cocking that's bound to happen, so binding is minimized. (Pun unintended.) Grease that thing up before each match real nice, and if you have nothing else, a nice coat of WD-40 keeps everything happy. Also, with rods, bigger isn't always better. I'd rather have four 3/8dia rods for support than two one-inchers. But talk to me here, and I'll offer advice, from here in Jersey, of course.

[kmcclary]

Thank you ALL for all of the calls and helpful advice!

Nate Smith, a college student (formerly from Team 470) saw our post and is coming out today to help us wrap a few things. Thanks, Nate!

But the big news is that Team 494 Goodrich / Flint came to our rescue!

Pat Major, and Jeff, two engineers from Goodrich Flint Team 494, along with Pat's son Dwight, called us yesterday after seeing our post. We talked, emailed them our animations of what is SUPPOSED to happen and some digi photos of the current state of affairs, then talked on the phone some more.

They then went WELL above and beyond, DRIVING DOWN HERE all the way from Flint (an hour away from us) and spent ALL evening with the team helping us to COMPLETELY tear down and rebuild the ENTIRE assembly! They helped us to shift the design to include rollers in the right place to eliminate the problem. They stayed with us until almost midnight, then drove another hour home, making it a seven hour investment! WOW!

We now have a running lift! They definitely played a key role in helping us solve the lift problem with some great ideas and LOTS of elbow grease! Kudos to 494!

Oh, BTW, now that you guys at 494 know our ENTIRE strategy, can you *please* do us one more *tiny* favor and NOT wipe the floor with us poor rookies in the competition? <wink> Thanks!

Joe Taylor from 461 wrote:
> [Simplify!]

<chuckle> Boy, oh BOY did we EVER do that with the drivetrain! (You'll see what I mean when you see it tomorrow... :-)

> [...] hey, if getting your original design is a possibility, then go for it!

Oh, it was DEFINITELY worth the work! The lift problem involved a critical part basic to our payload and a major component of our game strategy. Without it working, we'd have in essence been a moving obstacle that could shuffle a few things around. But who knows, as you said that may be good enough! <grin> A Pack Rat running around underfoot moving things on you can cause a lot of grief and confusion! <wink>

THANK YOU ALL from the bottom of our hearts! As a direct result of all of your gracious help, we'll be there and running tomorrow with our machine, "The Pack Rat!"

Go, Rat Pack!

- Keith McClary, Huron High Team 830 "Rat Pack"

[kmcclary]

Whoops! Forgive me, but I got a couple of the names wrong.

Along with Pat Major, JAY Tenbrink (not Jeff), a great Engineer, and Pat's son DEREK, a very dedicated worker and FIRST team member, were the ones that came out to help us. All were from Team 494.

Thanks again!

See you all tomorrow!

- Keith McClary, Huron High Team 830, "Rat Pack"