Machines for an Ideal Robotics Workshop?

[Lowfategg]

If you have the money a lathe, milling machine, and a welder are nice things to have. Stay away from cheap clones when buying these.

[mom1155]

What would you put in an ideal dream robotics workshop, if money was not a constraint and you could dream BIG?

[Rich Kressly]

Originally Posted by mom1155

What would you put in an ideal dream robotics workshop, if money was not a constraint and you could dream BIG?

Dave Lavery, Red Whittaker, Colin Angle, Andy Baker, Paul Copioli, JVN, Karthik, and Kevin Watson

[Lowfategg]

Originally Posted by Rich Kressly

Dave Lavery, Red Whittaker, Colin Angle, Andy Baker, Paul Copioli, JVN, Karthik, and Kevin Watson

Can you give me the Mcmaster-carr catalog number for those?

[EricH]

Originally Posted by mom1155

What would you put in an ideal dream robotics workshop, if money was not a constraint and you could dream BIG?

CNC mill and CNC lathe, with people who know how to use them.
Good drill press, for smaller jobs.
Some form of grinder, maybe 1 surface grinder and 1 pedestal/bench grinder.
Welder that can weld aluminum.
Rich's list of people, and Rich.
Robot storage. Awards case.
Material rack.
Toolbox that stays organized.
A practice field. Preferably as close as possible to the FIRST official ones.

That's probably about $50,000 worth of parts and materials (people costs not included).

[Blue_Mist]

Actually, with regards to the Toolbox that stays organized, we've found that freshmen works fairly well, and you get to combine cheap labor with the excuse "but we're letting the freshmen help!"

In all seriousness, removable (we use magnetic) labels work quite well.

To add to the list, just three things:
- A computer (laptop?) with programing compiler and Internet.
- Multimeter
- Accurate scale for robot (among other things) at least to 150 lb. or so

[AustinSchuh]

Originally Posted by Blue_Mist

Multimeter

Just a Multimeter? I'd go for a nice digital Scope as well. When you start doing much beyond basic circuits, they are amazingly useful.

[sanddrag]

An engineering college student who was in FIRST in high school.

I think good work tables/areas and good lighting is important in a shop. Also, good clamps and vises.

A waterjet can also be quite handy, but very costly.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

A tenacious engineering college student who was in FIRST in high school.

Dave, you left out a word.

[vivek16]

mill, lathe, bandsaw, drill press, arbor press

I agree, waterjets are quite handy.

-Vivek

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

An engineering college student who was in FIRST in high school.

I think good work tables/areas and good lighting is important in a shop. Also, good clamps and vises.

A waterjet can also be quite handy, but very costly.

397 has several engineering college students who were in FIRST Problem is, most of us are CS/CE/EE we only have two ME students, one of whom is graduating.

The tables thing is a good point, I know we lack good tables and chairs. As a result we tend to work on the ground a lot. This means that we aren't working at a good level which leads to all sorts of bad things.

Waterjets are nice, but they make a mess, Id rather outsource this.

Optimal shop: (in order of importance)

• Students who are passionate
• Supportive Parents and Mentors
• Safe Environment (ie not having to worry about theft)
• Access any time
• Adequate work space (tables/chairs etc)
• Hand tools
• Arbor Presses (We use the ones we have a lot)
• Mill (CnC and Manual)
• Lathe (CnC and Manual)
• Computer Lab with Solidworks/Unigraphics
• High Ceilings
• Enough room for a full practice field
• Full practice field
• Material's to build a second robot.
• Wireless Internet that isn't so locked down we can't do research
• Oscilloscopes
• High speed video equipment
• Production Quality Recording Studio (for Promo Videos)

That was the serious part, now, Id like to be located somewhere I could gain access to the AndyMark inventory anytime. I wouldn't want JVN or Karthik or Baker, competing against them is more fun.