Essential/Useful Mechanical Skills

[matthewdenny]

I'm interested in collecting a list of useful skill for robot building. I am looking for things that are commonly used both in FRC and general engineering/machining, and can be learned in a day or two (or three). So things like Drilling and tapping holes, not things like programming in Java. Thanks for your input.

[ASD20]

How to use calipers

[M217]

Soldering

[ARampantBrian]

For our offseason training, the students came up with a general checklist that all new students will have to check off in order to be considered a "completely knowledgeable" member of the team.

The mechanical team checklist includes skills in both processes and in identifying certain basic parts that are used to build a robot. The students decided that to be considered a "full member of the mechanical team" , this checklist had to be filled out:

• Identify different components of last year’s robot
  CAD
• Measurements (how to measure stuff in CAD)
  Basic Skills
• Drilling
• Center punch
• Deburring
• Battery
• Riveting
• Pneumatic (hook up)
• Hand
• How they work
• Using wrenches/Allen wrenches
• Ratcheting
• Clamp/Vice
• Vice grips
• Measurements
• Calipers
• Tape Measurer
• Using sharpies
• Basic Tools
• Chain Breakers (Type)
• Wrenches Color System
• Hack Saw
• Mallet
• Tap
• Tin Snips
  Parts (Identify/Find)
• Types of Shafts/Bearings
• Round
• Thunderhex
• Hex
• Bushing
• Shaft Collars (tighten)
• Types of Nuts and Bolts
• 10
• 32
• ¼ - 20
• Shoulder Bolts
• Chain and Sprockets
• 25 Chain
• 35 Chain
• Sprockets
• Chain Tensioner
• Belts and Pulleys
• Spacers
• Washers
• Stand Offs
• Lexan
• Clear or Smoked
• 1/8
• 1/16
• Metal
• Tube and Versatube
• Angle
• 1x1
• 1x2
• “C” Channel
• Gussets
• “L”
• “T”
• Custom
• 1/8
• 1/16
• Sheet Metal
• 1/4
• 1/8
• 090
• Types of Wheels
• Pneumatic
• Mecanum
• Omni
• Traction

[serenagh]

Cutting metal to a specified length (including how to measure and mark it)
Bolting two pieces of metal together (I.e. Learning how a bolt/lock nut work together, how to tighten and loosen these)
Bolting two pieces of metal together at a right angle.
Identifying different bolt types/sizes (may vary depending on what you stock- we have 1/4-20, 10-32's, and 10-24's primarily).

[EricH]

Use of a screwdriver. (And the difference between flathead, phillips, and "Who put the specialty screws on here?")
Use of measuring devices of various types--scales, calipers, micrometers, tape measures--and marking devices--markers, scribes, and the like.
Use of hex keys.
Use of a ratchet and socket set, including a wide range of attachments.
Proper use of a hammer.
Proper use of a hacksaw/chopsaw.
FILE USAGE.

Basically, any "standard shop tool" (drills, wrenches, drivers, measuring, cutting, and "percussive" tools) will be both incredibly useful and highly transferrable. Tapping could be included, but tends to be more of a niche use.

"Medium" tools (drill press, bandsaw of both types) would be next--you'd need to have the tool, though.

"Advanced" tools--like a lathe and mill--build on the others.

CNC equipment... There's professional training for that in a few years if someone goes that route.

[Jonny_Jee]

being able to quickly and effectively sketch (pencil and paper) an idea. I can't tell you how much time this saved me.

[InFlight]

Originally Posted by Jonny_Jee

being able to quickly and effectively sketch (pencil and paper) an idea. I can't tell you how much time this saved me.

+1 Mechanical Drafting seems to be a lost skill with CAD

I would add understand standing gear ratios, and Wheel speeds so that you could select the needed gearbox for a robot.

Also learn the correct clearance holes for the fasteners that yout team uses.

[TAlholm]

Measure twice
Cut or drill once

[FrisbeeFunTime]

Learning how to use wood tools and how to build wood mechanisms. An almost mandatory thing to know for prototyping things, most prototypes are made out of wood and have to be made quickly like as in week one to prove a concept as being good or not.

[DaveL]

I noticed a very complete list of things.
In addition, you might consider the use of hole saws, bending sheet metal and bending plastic.

We use hole saws (drill bit for cutting large round holes).
I would include finding the container.
Assembling the center bit with outer cutter.
Using proper form (square to the work, work piece clamped to a support board for sheet metal and use of safety glasses)
Removing cut part that may be stuck inside hole saw
Disassembling parts and returning tool to container and placing container back on the shelf.

Another skill is bending sheet metal (we are limited to manual techniques, but there is a world of skill needed to bend metal with a machine)

Along with bending metal is bending plastic. We do this with a hot air gun.
Avoiding over heating of the material, using protective equipment (gloves and safety glasses), use of forms to improve finish quality.

Other essential skills could include knowing when to use bolts or rivets as well as wiring electronic parts (being able to look up required wire guage and which wire goes where.

Dave

[TheModMaster8]

I'm going to preface this by saying that most skills can't be obtained within that short of a time frame... You may learn how to "do" it, but that doesn't mean you will be effective at it. Moving on to the more helpful part.

After 6 years of being on the fab/mechanical team, I would recommend:

• learning how to properly, and effectively use a hand drill. This helps tremendously when building/making anything, especially prototypes.
  
  
• The difference between to tight, and to loose, when referring to nuts & bolts (this applies to parts and fitting as well.)
  
  
• How to follow the path of a contour of a design when using the bandsaw.
  
  
• (personal pet peeve of mine...) Put tools back where they belong when you are finished with them!!! (not really a skill though).
  
  
• Learning the sounds the machines make when they run correctly, and more important, when they crash, fail, or overall mess up. You will almost always get some audible sound a few seconds to a second, before the machine decides to commit suicide.
  
  
• develop/practice using both hands when creating. Don't stick to just your dominate side being able to switch between hands makes working on any project easier.

These are the few things I would recommend you work on, as well as they other suggestions mentioned above.

[Roboshant]

I think that these documents put out by lightning robotics regarding their beginner and intermediate training programs would be of great help to you. Good Luck!

[Michael Hill]

Although it's getting on the elekchicken side of things, understanding motor curves is extremely useful when designing mechanisms and can be learned pretty easily. For the most part, it just scales with voltage as well.

[chrisfl]

Originally Posted by Roboshant

I think that these documents put out by lightning robotics regarding their beginner and intermediate training programs would be of great help to you. Good Luck!

You're link came up empty, there weren't any documents when I clicked on it. I'm interested to see what you have though.