Go to Post Looks great! Love that Indiana engineering!! - Mr.D [more]
Home
Go Back   Chief Delphi > FIRST > Robot Showcase
CD-Media   CD-Spy  
portal register members calendar search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read FAQ rules

 
Reply
Thread Tools Rate Thread Display Modes
  #16   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-03-2016, 13:23
Michael 4499 Michael 4499 is offline
Registered User
FRC #4499 (The Highlanders)
Team Role: Leadership
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Rookie Year: 2007
Location: Fort Collins, Colorado
Posts: 60
Michael 4499 is on a distinguished road
Re: FRC125 - The NUTRONs- 2016 Reveal

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brandon Holley View Post
Definitely an important design consideration, and something we're definitely used to dealing with as we've done 4 events before DCMP the past 2 seasons (as Schreiber pointed out).

We focused a ton on making our defense crossings happen, but making them as least violent as possible. Going over half of a rampart, and being able to fit inside the moat make for some smooth transitions. We're hoping the pain of designing to this small size will pay super long dividends as the year goes on.

-Brando
With the small frame and high CG when the arm is up do you guys have any problems with tipping over? This is an awesome robot see you guys Thursday!
__________________

2016 Galileo & Carson - Gracious Professionalism
2016 Colorado - Chairman's award, Finalists
2016 Arizona North - Engineering Inspiration
Reply With Quote
  #17   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-03-2016, 13:29
engunneer's Avatar
engunneer engunneer is offline
Alumni turned Mentor
AKA: Branden Gunn
FRC #4761
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Rookie Year: 1996
Location: Reading, MA
Posts: 877
engunneer has a reputation beyond reputeengunneer has a reputation beyond reputeengunneer has a reputation beyond reputeengunneer has a reputation beyond reputeengunneer has a reputation beyond reputeengunneer has a reputation beyond reputeengunneer has a reputation beyond reputeengunneer has a reputation beyond reputeengunneer has a reputation beyond reputeengunneer has a reputation beyond reputeengunneer has a reputation beyond repute
Re: FRC125 - The NUTRONs- 2016 Reveal

Quote:
Originally Posted by Karthik View Post
I'd love to learn more about what considerations you've made over the past few years to help your robots withstand the rigors of 5 regular season competitions. With more and more regions going to districts and the increasing cries to end the 6 week build, I think more teams are going to have to start designing specifically for extra run time on their robots.
And how much of a ship of Theseus is it at the end of 5-6 events?
__________________
Student FRC23 (1996-1999), Mentor FRC246 (2000), Mentor FRC1318 (2007-2009), Mentor FRC93 (2011), Mentor FRC2151 (2012), Mentor FRC23 (2013), Mentor FRC4761 (2014-2017)
1998 - National Chairman's Award and Woodie Flowers Award (FRC23, Mike Bastoni ) | 2007 - PNW SF (488, 1595) | 2008 - Oregon RCA - Seattle #2 Seed, SF (488, 1696) | 2009 - Oregon #1 Seed, Winners (1983, 2635) - Seattle SF (945, 2865) - Galileo #2 Seed, SF (973, 25) | 2012 Midwest F (111, 71) | 2014 RIDE Winners (78, 125), Inspector - NEU #24, QF (3479, 3958) - NECMP #35 | 2015 Reading #11, SF (1058, 190), Inspector - RIDE #17, QF(4055, 5494), Inspector - NECMP #57 | 2016 Reading #4, SF (133, 4474), DCA, Inspector - Ride #22, SF (1735, 2067), Creativity, Inspector - NECMP #48, RCA - Archimedes
Reply With Quote
  #18   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-03-2016, 13:29
Andrew Schreiber Andrew Schreiber is offline
Joining the 900 Meme Team
FRC #0079
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Rookie Year: 2000
Location: Misplaced Michigander
Posts: 4,080
Andrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond repute
Re: FRC125 - The NUTRONs- 2016 Reveal

Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael 4499 View Post
With the small frame and high CG when the arm is up do you guys have any problems with tipping over? This is an awesome robot see you guys Thursday!
The arm really only goes up to shoot. There's a travel position for crossing barriers that's much lower.


Re Theseus comment:

As far as I know Dark Matter ('14) still has most of it's original structure in place. The CIMs got replaced. There was a mid season gearing change, most of the belts got changed. Intake wheels were replaced but that was due to damage, same as the Digital Sidecar, pneumatics regulator... Now, I've never seen a frame bowed quite as much as it is. And it makes some horrid noises while being wheeled around likely due to cracked bearing races in the drive pods. But, not bad for playing offense in the heavy hitting NE defense. As you know Branden, we took a lot of big hits that year.
__________________




.

Last edited by Andrew Schreiber : 08-03-2016 at 13:39.
Reply With Quote
  #19   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-03-2016, 14:09
MARS_James's Avatar
MARS_James MARS_James is offline
Always Scouting
AKA: James Comstock
FRC #0179 (The Children of The Swamp)
Team Role: Tactician
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Rookie Year: 2006
Location: Jupiter, Florida
Posts: 1,968
MARS_James has a reputation beyond reputeMARS_James has a reputation beyond reputeMARS_James has a reputation beyond reputeMARS_James has a reputation beyond reputeMARS_James has a reputation beyond reputeMARS_James has a reputation beyond reputeMARS_James has a reputation beyond reputeMARS_James has a reputation beyond reputeMARS_James has a reputation beyond reputeMARS_James has a reputation beyond reputeMARS_James has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to MARS_James
Re: FRC125 - The NUTRONs- 2016 Reveal

So is there a reason you went with a spotlight for a photon canon instead of a focused flashlight?
__________________
Driving Record: 24-8
Coaching Record: 66-31
2014 South Florida Regional Woodie Flowers Finalist


Reply With Quote
  #20   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-03-2016, 14:11
IronicDeadBird's Avatar
IronicDeadBird IronicDeadBird is offline
Theory Crafting Fo days...
AKA: Charles Ives "M" Waldo IV
FRC #1339 (Angelbots)
Team Role: Tactician
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Rookie Year: 2005
Location: Colorado
Posts: 958
IronicDeadBird has a reputation beyond reputeIronicDeadBird has a reputation beyond reputeIronicDeadBird has a reputation beyond reputeIronicDeadBird has a reputation beyond reputeIronicDeadBird has a reputation beyond reputeIronicDeadBird has a reputation beyond reputeIronicDeadBird has a reputation beyond reputeIronicDeadBird has a reputation beyond reputeIronicDeadBird has a reputation beyond reputeIronicDeadBird has a reputation beyond reputeIronicDeadBird has a reputation beyond repute
Re: FRC125 - The NUTRONs- 2016 Reveal

Wow this is actually the first unblockable robot I've seen.
__________________
HERO 俺を讃える声や 喝采なんて 欲しくはないさ
So I got my jacket back, but it turns out the "W" in WPI doesn't stand for that steak sauce I can't pronounce.
Play is for kids this is serious...
Reply With Quote
  #21   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-03-2016, 14:13
Andrew Schreiber Andrew Schreiber is offline
Joining the 900 Meme Team
FRC #0079
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Rookie Year: 2000
Location: Misplaced Michigander
Posts: 4,080
Andrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond repute
Re: FRC125 - The NUTRONs- 2016 Reveal

Quote:
Originally Posted by MARS_James View Post
So is there a reason you went with a spotlight for a photon canon instead of a focused flashlight?
The lights are one of the things we've been tinkering with. The LED strip we had on in this video is what we had sitting around the lab from who knows what. We had a few high intensity LED's on order and have since hooked them up.
__________________




.
Reply With Quote
  #22   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-03-2016, 14:13
Tom Bottiglieri Tom Bottiglieri is offline
Registered User
FRC #0254 (The Cheesy Poofs)
Team Role: Engineer
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Rookie Year: 2003
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 3,188
Tom Bottiglieri has a reputation beyond reputeTom Bottiglieri has a reputation beyond reputeTom Bottiglieri has a reputation beyond reputeTom Bottiglieri has a reputation beyond reputeTom Bottiglieri has a reputation beyond reputeTom Bottiglieri has a reputation beyond reputeTom Bottiglieri has a reputation beyond reputeTom Bottiglieri has a reputation beyond reputeTom Bottiglieri has a reputation beyond reputeTom Bottiglieri has a reputation beyond reputeTom Bottiglieri has a reputation beyond repute
Re: FRC125 - The NUTRONs- 2016 Reveal

Looks great, good luck in Arizona!
Reply With Quote
  #23   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-03-2016, 14:13
Brandon Holley's Avatar
Brandon Holley Brandon Holley is online now
Chase perfection. Catch excellence.
AKA: Let's bring CD back to the way it used to be
FRC #0125 (NU-TRONs, Team #11 Alumni (GO MORT))
Team Role: Engineer
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Rookie Year: 2001
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 2,593
Brandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to Brandon Holley
Re: FRC125 - The NUTRONs- 2016 Reveal

Quote:
Originally Posted by MARS_James View Post
So is there a reason you went with a spotlight for a photon canon instead of a focused flashlight?
What you see in the video is all auto aiming w/ an IP camera, so we just needed to create light for retro tape. We had the LED strips in the lab, so on they went. We've refined a bit to blind less people since this was filmed on bag day.

Photon cannon is on there for backup of course...

EDIT: Schreiber beat me to it.

-Brando
__________________
MORT (Team 11) '01-'05 :
-2005 New Jersey Regional Chairman's Award Winners
-2013 MORT Hall of Fame Inductee

NUTRONs (Team 125) '05-???
2007 Boston Regional Winners
2008 & 2009 Boston Regional Driving Tomorrow's Technology Award
2010 Boston Regional Creativity Award
2011 Bayou Regional Finalists, Innovation in Control Award, Boston Regional Finalists, Industrial Design Award
2012 New York City Regional Winners, Boston Regional Finalists, IRI Mentor of the Year
2013 Orlando Regional Finalists, Industrial Design Award, Boston Regional Winners, Pine Tree Regional Finalists
2014 Rhode Island District Winners, Excellence in Engineering Award, Northeastern University District Winners, Industrial Design Award, Pine Tree District Chairman's Award, Pine Tree District Winners
2015 South Florida Regional Chairman's Award, NU District Winners, NEDCMP Industrial Design Award, Hopper Division Finalists, Hopper/Newton Gracious Professionalism Award
Reply With Quote
  #24   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-03-2016, 14:59
waialua359's Avatar
waialua359 waialua359 is offline
Mentor
AKA: Glenn
FRC #0359 (Hawaiian Kids)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Rookie Year: 2000
Location: Waialua, HI
Posts: 3,316
waialua359 has a reputation beyond reputewaialua359 has a reputation beyond reputewaialua359 has a reputation beyond reputewaialua359 has a reputation beyond reputewaialua359 has a reputation beyond reputewaialua359 has a reputation beyond reputewaialua359 has a reputation beyond reputewaialua359 has a reputation beyond reputewaialua359 has a reputation beyond reputewaialua359 has a reputation beyond reputewaialua359 has a reputation beyond repute
Re: FRC125 - The NUTRONs- 2016 Reveal

I dont get it.
You didnt even share the most impressive attribute of this robot.
The fact that it fits in a VEX size container as a check in luggage to compete in Arizona.
Post that Twitter pic!

Good luck this season.

-Glenn
__________________

2016 Hawaii Regional #1 seed, IDesign, Safety Award
2016 NY Tech Valley Regional Champions, #1 seed, Innovation in Controls Award
2016 Lake Superior Regional Champions, #1 seed, Quality Award, Dean's List
2015 FRC Worlds-Carver Division Champions
2015 Hawaii Regional Champions, #1 seed.
2015 Australia Regional Champions, #2 seed, Engineering Excellence Award
2015 Inland Empire Regional Champions, #1 seed, Industrial Design Award
2014 OZARK Mountain Brawl Champions, #1 seed.
2014 Hawaii Regional Champions, #1 seed, UL Safety Award
2014 Dallas Regional Champions, #1 seed, Engineering Excellence Award
2014 Northern Lights Regional Champions, #1 seed, Entrepreneurship Award
2013 Championship Dean's List Winner
2013 Utah Regional Champion, #1 seed, KP&B Award, Deans List
2013 Boilermaker Regional Champion, #1 seed, Motorola Quality Award
2012 Lone Star Regional Champion, #1 seed, Motorola Quality Award
2012 Hawaii Regional Champions #1 seed, Motorola Quality Award
Reply With Quote
  #25   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-03-2016, 15:02
marshall's Avatar
marshall marshall is offline
My pants are louder than yours.
FRC #0900 (The Zebracorns)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Rookie Year: 2003
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 1,337
marshall has a reputation beyond reputemarshall has a reputation beyond reputemarshall has a reputation beyond reputemarshall has a reputation beyond reputemarshall has a reputation beyond reputemarshall has a reputation beyond reputemarshall has a reputation beyond reputemarshall has a reputation beyond reputemarshall has a reputation beyond reputemarshall has a reputation beyond reputemarshall has a reputation beyond repute
Re: FRC125 - The NUTRONs- 2016 Reveal

Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber View Post
We've been doing 4 events pre DCMP for a few years now.

When Brando told me size of bot I nearly fell over laughing thinking it was a joke. Then I got sad cuz I had to fit electronics in. But it happened.

Not mentioned is the code. Our software team has been hard at work and there's some fun surprises in store for folks.
Andrew, can you describe your process for cramming the electronics in? Is it based in CAD or do you use cardboard or just do it free style once the rest of the robot is built? It's something we've struggled with in the last few years and I'd like to know how a team like 125 goes about it.

Thanks!
__________________
"La mejor salsa del mundo es la hambre" - Miguel de Cervantes
"The future is unwritten" - Joe Strummer
"Simplify, then add lightness" - Colin Chapman
Reply With Quote
  #26   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-03-2016, 15:07
Andrew Schreiber Andrew Schreiber is offline
Joining the 900 Meme Team
FRC #0079
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Rookie Year: 2000
Location: Misplaced Michigander
Posts: 4,080
Andrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond repute
Re: FRC125 - The NUTRONs- 2016 Reveal

Quote:
Originally Posted by waialua359 View Post
I dont get it.
You didnt even share the most impressive attribute of this robot.
The fact that it fits in a VEX size container as a check in luggage to compete in Arizona.
Post that Twitter pic!

Good luck this season.

-Glenn
https://twitter.com/nutrons/status/706998824296947712 Ok, to be fair, it's 2 vex sized boxes.

Quote:
Originally Posted by marshall View Post
Andrew, can you describe your process for cramming the electronics in? Is it based in CAD or do you use cardboard or just do it free style once the rest of the robot is built? It's something we've struggled with in the last few years and I'd like to know how a team like 125 goes about it.

Thanks!
Well, we're not GREAT at it. It got done. But we had a dedicated area for electronics and just played with it (in various forms) until we knew how it'd fit. Then cut panel, put it all on, and done.

The robot is small, but because the ball never enters the perimeter we actually had a nice space to put everything.
__________________




.
Reply With Quote
  #27   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-03-2016, 15:17
Brandon Holley's Avatar
Brandon Holley Brandon Holley is online now
Chase perfection. Catch excellence.
AKA: Let's bring CD back to the way it used to be
FRC #0125 (NU-TRONs, Team #11 Alumni (GO MORT))
Team Role: Engineer
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Rookie Year: 2001
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 2,593
Brandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to Brandon Holley
Re: FRC125 - The NUTRONs- 2016 Reveal

Quote:
Originally Posted by marshall View Post
Andrew, can you describe your process for cramming the electronics in? Is it based in CAD or do you use cardboard or just do it free style once the rest of the robot is built? It's something we've struggled with in the last few years and I'd like to know how a team like 125 goes about it.

Thanks!
When we started laying out drive concepts and overall robot concepts, the idea of a really tiny robot was in the back of our minds the whole time. We knew from the get go that electronics, pneumatics (there are 4 big black clippard tanks on that guy, and a compressor), battery placement, etc were all going to be challenging.

Once the first pass mechanical design got to a point we had some semblance of confidence around, we created an MCO (mechanical control outline) for the electronics. Essentially this is a volume of space, in a specific place on the robot that we agreed to not use for robot mechanicals, and allow the electronics group to stuff their pieces into.

I think this first pass MCO was something like 8"X13"X6". The electronics team laid out all their parts on cardboard, and then quickly progressed to a polycarb proto board. Around this time we had completed the frame of the robot and were able to do a sanity check around sizing and positioning. We constrained the electronics to an exceptional degree to allow us to move the battery around to optimize CG placement for defense crossing. A 13lb battery in a 78lb robot has a HUGE effect on CG and therefore how smoothly we can traverse.

From there, the electronics team started making it real and attaching it all together. We made some improvements along the way like isolating the entire board on some closed cell rubber foam (to help with impact) and tightening the wiring up to a crisp state that makes it reasonably serviceable.

We're definitely not experts, but the process based around building an MCO (with confidence) is the key element I'd offer as advice.

-Brando
__________________
MORT (Team 11) '01-'05 :
-2005 New Jersey Regional Chairman's Award Winners
-2013 MORT Hall of Fame Inductee

NUTRONs (Team 125) '05-???
2007 Boston Regional Winners
2008 & 2009 Boston Regional Driving Tomorrow's Technology Award
2010 Boston Regional Creativity Award
2011 Bayou Regional Finalists, Innovation in Control Award, Boston Regional Finalists, Industrial Design Award
2012 New York City Regional Winners, Boston Regional Finalists, IRI Mentor of the Year
2013 Orlando Regional Finalists, Industrial Design Award, Boston Regional Winners, Pine Tree Regional Finalists
2014 Rhode Island District Winners, Excellence in Engineering Award, Northeastern University District Winners, Industrial Design Award, Pine Tree District Chairman's Award, Pine Tree District Winners
2015 South Florida Regional Chairman's Award, NU District Winners, NEDCMP Industrial Design Award, Hopper Division Finalists, Hopper/Newton Gracious Professionalism Award

Last edited by Brandon Holley : 08-03-2016 at 15:20.
Reply With Quote
  #28   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-03-2016, 15:18
marshall's Avatar
marshall marshall is offline
My pants are louder than yours.
FRC #0900 (The Zebracorns)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Rookie Year: 2003
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 1,337
marshall has a reputation beyond reputemarshall has a reputation beyond reputemarshall has a reputation beyond reputemarshall has a reputation beyond reputemarshall has a reputation beyond reputemarshall has a reputation beyond reputemarshall has a reputation beyond reputemarshall has a reputation beyond reputemarshall has a reputation beyond reputemarshall has a reputation beyond reputemarshall has a reputation beyond repute
Re: FRC125 - The NUTRONs- 2016 Reveal

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brandon Holley View Post
When we started laying out drive concepts and overall robot concepts, the idea of a really tiny robot was in the back of our minds the whole time. We knew from the get go that electronics, pneumatics (there are 4 big black clippard tanks on that guy, and a compressor, battery placement, etc were all going to be challenging.

Once the first pass mechanical design got to a point we had some semblance of confidence around, we created an MCO (mechanical control outline) for the electronics. Essentially this is a volume of space, in a specific place on the robot that we agreed to not use for robot mechanicals, and allow the electronics group to stuff their space into.

I think this first pass MCO was something like 8"X13"X6". The electronics team laid out all their parts on cardboard, and then quickly progressed to a polycarb proto board. Around this time we had completed the frame of the robot and were able to do a sanity check around sizing and positioning. We constrained the electronics to an exceptional degree to allow us to move the battery around to optimize CG placement for defense crossing. A 13lb battery in a 78lb robot has a HUGE effect on CG and therefore how smoothly we can traverse.

From there, the electronics team started making it real and attaching it all together. We made some improvements along the way like isolating the entire board on some closed cell rubber foam (to help with impact) and tightening the wiring up to a crisp state that makes it reasonably serviceable.

We're definitely not experts, but the process based around building an MCO (with confidence) is the key element I'd offer as advice.

-Brando
I REALLY appreciate this info. Thank you!
__________________
"La mejor salsa del mundo es la hambre" - Miguel de Cervantes
"The future is unwritten" - Joe Strummer
"Simplify, then add lightness" - Colin Chapman
Reply With Quote
  #29   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 09-03-2016, 08:44
Brandon Holley's Avatar
Brandon Holley Brandon Holley is online now
Chase perfection. Catch excellence.
AKA: Let's bring CD back to the way it used to be
FRC #0125 (NU-TRONs, Team #11 Alumni (GO MORT))
Team Role: Engineer
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Rookie Year: 2001
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 2,593
Brandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond reputeBrandon Holley has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to Brandon Holley
Re: FRC125 - The NUTRONs- 2016 Reveal

Quote:
Originally Posted by Karthik View Post
I'd love to learn more about what considerations you've made over the past few years to help your robots withstand the rigors of 5 regular season competitions. With more and more regions going to districts and the increasing cries to end the 6 week build, I think more teams are going to have to start designing specifically for extra run time on their robots.
The NUTRONs were one of the strongest voices for Districts in New England. While the change was likely inevitable, our team pushed very hard to educate the New England masses as to the advantages of the District system. In 2014, when the transition finally came to fruition, we wanted to really show what a team could do. We decided to attend 4 District Events in New England before DCMP, playing 71 matches before we even got to BU for DCMP.

When we went to Districts, and when we had 4 events in District, we also made the decision to scale back our practice bot efforts. There's numerous reasons for this, but among the top were resource savings as we machine/manufacture 100% of the pieces of each of our robots. We duplicated our shooter mechanism, but in general, the need for a practice robot started to fade away as we had 4 unbag windows to utilize. The reason I mention this is because the competition robot not only had all of those matches on it, but also ALL of our practice time.

As we all know, 2014 was a brutal year on robots, particularly ones that 'ramp camped' in the corner and shot into the high goal. We knew building a robot that would last an entire season through that number of plays would require some pretty targeted design strategy. That strategy has evolved now over 3 build seasons of building for 'hyper-plays', and is something we're getting fairly good at. What is below is not something necessarily game changing or unique to the NUTRONs, many teams take similar approaches, however this approach has worked well and produced robots that have lasted (and performed at high levels late into Saturday afternoon at WCMP).

The strategy in its simplest form is boiled down to two design types:
  1. Build for replaceability
  2. Build it 'beefatronic'

#1 is pretty obvious - By making a part/assembly easily replaceable and having backups of said part/assembly at the ready, you have set yourself up to succeed when the part eventually fails.

#2 is the NUTRONs vernacular for 'overbuilding' something. Beefatronic includes going to thick sections of aluminum/polycarbonate/steel, welding specific items together, overpowering a mechanism (775pros, alleluiah!). Basically it means ensuring that this particular part/assembly WON'T fail.


So thats fine and dandy, but how do you differentiate between what type of component is a #1 or a #2? Well this is where the process becomes a hybrid form of art/science. We use our collective experience on the team to discuss specific mechanisms or scenarios. When we don't have a direct experience, we'll reach out or lean on other teams previous designs. The real difference maker though is beating the utter snot out of our competition robot.

While every team's focus is to 'finish early' we take that especially to heart. We give ourselves ample amounts of time with our competition robot to run it through its paces. We try to avoid damaging it for stupid reasons, but we definitely try to damage it through normal 'wear and tear'. This constant abuse starts shaking out big time issues. We'll see shafts twist, bolts shear, plates bend or plastic snap and see a pretty obvious issue that needs addressing via item #1 or item #2. We take advantage of the local week 0 scrimmages in the area and ensure the robot is ready to roll on a real field. When all is said and done, if we fail on the field, we want it to be for something that doesnt make you face palm right away - thats really the ultimate goal for any team I think.


As I said above, there is no game changing criteria in here. It's just having a design philosophy and overall process that shakes out bugs and then having some solid methods to address them. I absolutely love playing as much as we do, as does the rest of the team. Are we tired at the end of the competition season? Hell yes. But the intensity, competition level and experience we get from it is something I've yet to find in any other walk of life.

-Brando
__________________
MORT (Team 11) '01-'05 :
-2005 New Jersey Regional Chairman's Award Winners
-2013 MORT Hall of Fame Inductee

NUTRONs (Team 125) '05-???
2007 Boston Regional Winners
2008 & 2009 Boston Regional Driving Tomorrow's Technology Award
2010 Boston Regional Creativity Award
2011 Bayou Regional Finalists, Innovation in Control Award, Boston Regional Finalists, Industrial Design Award
2012 New York City Regional Winners, Boston Regional Finalists, IRI Mentor of the Year
2013 Orlando Regional Finalists, Industrial Design Award, Boston Regional Winners, Pine Tree Regional Finalists
2014 Rhode Island District Winners, Excellence in Engineering Award, Northeastern University District Winners, Industrial Design Award, Pine Tree District Chairman's Award, Pine Tree District Winners
2015 South Florida Regional Chairman's Award, NU District Winners, NEDCMP Industrial Design Award, Hopper Division Finalists, Hopper/Newton Gracious Professionalism Award
Reply With Quote
  #30   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 09-03-2016, 09:34
PayneTrain's Avatar
PayneTrain PayneTrain is offline
no
AKA: Lizard King
FRC #0422 (The Meme Tech Pneumatic Devices)
Team Role: Mascot
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Rookie Year: 2009
Location: RVA
Posts: 2,274
PayneTrain has a reputation beyond reputePayneTrain has a reputation beyond reputePayneTrain has a reputation beyond reputePayneTrain has a reputation beyond reputePayneTrain has a reputation beyond reputePayneTrain has a reputation beyond reputePayneTrain has a reputation beyond reputePayneTrain has a reputation beyond reputePayneTrain has a reputation beyond reputePayneTrain has a reputation beyond reputePayneTrain has a reputation beyond repute
Re: FRC125 - The NUTRONs- 2016 Reveal

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brandon Holley View Post
The strategy in its simplest form is boiled down to two design types:
  1. Build for replaceability
  2. Build it 'beefatronic'
No one asked for my input on this but I feel inclined to throw it out there anyway.

The traditional event structure definitely wore us out over the last few years. The idea of throwing as much as you can on the robot and figuring it out later obviously never worked for us except in 2013 and 2014 where we pushed the withholding system to its absolute limits and, especially in 2014, delivered a robot at Championships that was quite literally 100%+ different from the one we put in the bag.

This year in a never-ending quest to show everyone how insane we are, we signed up for three district events for no good reason (and don't tell anyone on 422 this but I was also eyeing either the Week 1 or Week 5 NC district). This opened up the opportunity to expand upon lessons learned in 2014 that were then obviously and succinctly discarded for 2015. We ended up running what can be the FRC equivalent of Agile Project Management, where we have a deliverable on a major system every single week of the season. We had a robot that we could have taken to our first event and won by the end of our first build cycle (Week 3... we lost a week to snow). We had a better version of that two weeks later and turned the first one into our development robot. Getting a base for practice and competition done this early was a first for us and a victory for the agile way we wanted to approach the season because it allowed our drive team, programming team, and fabrication to figure out what to expect in March and April.

Now we are using our unbag time to the fullest extent possible by the rules. We plan to work on building a third chassis over our next 3-5 unbag windows since it is a rather simple design that has undergone trivial iterations, the work can be done in parallel to our unbag work, and since it is only worked on during open bag, does not count toward our withholding allowance. Our closed bag shop time is being used to iterate on the more specialized subsystems.

I hope this all pans out because I have had a lot of fun this year running this kind of system and we finally got student engagement up to a level that we like.

TL;DR we know that by playing anywhere between 60-80 matches before we get an invite to St Louis that we will have to build an entirely different robot over the next 9 weeks, so we're doing just that. It's good to know that we are somewhat close to that.

Your robot is the robot we wanted to build (tiny) but we couldn't really get it a way everyone would be comfortable under the constant iteration of everything. I hope it does well because it's pretty dope.

Last edited by PayneTrain : 09-03-2016 at 09:45.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 23:41.

The Chief Delphi Forums are sponsored by Innovation First International, Inc.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © Chief Delphi