Did you make a second robot? [POLL]

[Charles Boehm]

Originally Posted by nlknauss

Can anyone comment on the build and design process involved with two robots?

The way that we have done it the last few years is begin building the practice bot first. This way we can see major flaws early enough that we can fix them for the competition robot. We try to have the practice robot fully done by no later than 4.5 weeks, but the week 4 mark is the goal. This gives you enough time to work with the practice robot and see flaws and things to change and then assembly of the competition robot goes relatively quickly.

[GeeTwo]

This is our third year building a second robot.

For Ultimate Ascent, we built one wooden-framed and one aluminum-framed robot. We continued to learn from "Woody" (with a wood chassis) even after "Buzz" (all-metal) was in the bag.

For Recycle Rush, we built "twins". We continued to work on the "strafe wheel" of our H-drive system, and our pickup "rake" from bag to Bayou Regional, and again until CMP.

For Stronghold, we again build twin drive chassis, and worked on both our "pickup" and "launch" mechanisms within our 30 pound withholding allowance after bag day.

[evanperryg]

We build the practice robot, find things that are glaringly wrong, then fix them on the competition robot. The problems with the p-bot are either left alone, or fixed with excessive amounts of gussets, bolts, and tape. It's pretty easy to bend the entire practice bot chassis, and its shooter sags on one side. The competition bot has solutions to both issues. Both robots are mostly identical, but they aren't exactly the same. For the sake of programming, driver practice, and basic mechanism design, though, they are the same.