pic: 1323's PowderCoated Render

[Doug G]

Congrats again on the CA this year - well deserved!!

Did you powdercoat in that trailer? You mentioned about doing it all "in house" and wondered if that also meant "in trailer" as well.

I can't agree more about have a frame done by the third week. The past couple years, we try to have a frame welded and ready by the end of the second week. We have yet to do any powder coating though. Unfortunately, this year we didn't finish it until the end of the third week. In 2007, we had the whole bot done during the 5th week. That allowed us to utilize almost a full week of practice, programming, and tweaking. It's amazing how more competitive you are when you have a week to practice and perfect the robot.

[Aren_Hill]

We actually somehow managed to have 2 frames done and welded by the end of week one, kinda not typical for us

[Stu Bloom]

Originally Posted by Aren_Hill

We actually somehow managed to have 2 frames done and welded by the end of week one, kinda not typical for us

... and I know you guys had an awesome robot this year, Midwest Champions AND Regional Chairman's, AND WI Champions! Congratulations on your success! You must be doing something right ...

But I have to wonder ... are we forgetting about the science and technical INSPIRATION, and just rushing to build a robot as fast as possible? I just dont understand how, even working long hours every day the first week, anyone could get through a reasonable engineering/design process and have something built that quickly. Maybe I need to rotate through some other teams over the next couple of years to undetstand how that happens ...

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by Stu Bloom

... and I know you guys had an awesome robot this year, Midwest Champions AND Regional Chairman's, AND WI Champions! Congratulations on your success! You must be doing something right ...

But I have to wonder ... are we forgetting about the science and technical INSPIRATION, and just rushing to build a robot as fast as possible? I just dont understand how, even working long hours every day the first week, anyone could get through a reasonable engineering/design process and have something built that quickly. Maybe I need to rotate through some other teams over the next couple of years to undetstand how that happens ...

1323, 11, 816, and 1771 worked together extensively during week 1 and 2. The various designs RC's team had were productions of years past combined with the best designs we could "borrow" from other teams.

[artdutra04]

Originally Posted by Stu Bloom

... and I know you guys had an awesome robot this year, Midwest Champions AND Regional Chairman's, AND WI Champions! Congratulations on your success! You must be doing something right ...

But I have to wonder ... are we forgetting about the science and technical INSPIRATION, and just rushing to build a robot as fast as possible? I just dont understand how, even working long hours every day the first week, anyone could get through a reasonable engineering/design process and have something built that quickly. Maybe I need to rotate through some other teams over the next couple of years to undetstand how that happens ...

I can't speak for them, but some teams spend the other 46 weeks of the year teaching and inspiring students, then spend the six weeks applying it as fast as possible to make a competitive robot. Six weeks is too short to do serious teaching while designing/fabricating/assembling/programming a competition robot.

[lozano_man]

Originally Posted by Stu Bloom

But I have to wonder ... are we forgetting about the science and technical INSPIRATION, and just rushing to build a robot as fast as possible? I just dont understand how, even working long hours every day the first week, anyone could get through a reasonable engineering/design process and have something built that quickly. Maybe I need to rotate through some other teams over the next couple of years to undetstand how that happens ...

You have to understand the energy with which we begin build season with. The day after finals we are already planning for next season. A week after finals and we already have a full years agenda. A month after finals and we are probably already halfway through it.

We also don't work long hours every day the first week. . .every day after kickoff we LIVE in the shop. All the way till finals we are in the shop.

We also don't "rush" to build a robot (no offense. The engineering/design process is a constant process where every day after the initial design we find any problem with the design. If any is found we correct it immediately.

I also have to say...we have an incredible welder. SHE does good work!

[gorrilla]

wow
I wish we could powdercoat our robot, then it might look cool

[R.C.]

Originally Posted by Doug G

Congrats again on the CA this year - well deserved!!

Did you powdercoat in that trailer? You mentioned about doing it all "in house" and wondered if that also meant "in trailer" as well.

Thanks and powdercoating would be so cool inside a trailer. I take the inhouse thing back, powdercoating is the "Only" thing we send out. Hoping I don't eat my words again.

Originally Posted by Aren_Hill

We actually somehow managed to have 2 frames done and welded by the end of week one, kinda not typical for us

That is awesome Aren, we applied for three grants for another CNC. We plan to make two frames next year. One practice bot and is CNC'd (freshman training and protoing it) and the other for real.

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

1323, 11, 816, and 1771 worked together extensively during week 1 and 2. The various designs RC's team had were productions of years past combined with the best designs we could "borrow" from other teams.

We took ideas from different teams, advice from the EWCP, and surpisely enough we created: A CAD library of drivetrains for different situations. Also we didn't do a more complicated drive, so it didn't as long.

Originally Posted by artdutra04

I can't speak for them, but some teams spend the other 46 weeks of the year teaching and inspiring students, then spend the six weeks applying it as fast as possible to make a competitive robot. Six weeks is too short to do serious teaching while designing/fabricating/assembling/programming a competition robot.

Art is right, we do all the learning and teaching during the offseason. Once season hits, people still learn. But the ones that know their stuff are leads and the unsure ones just help out as much as they can.

Originally Posted by lozano_man

You have to understand the energy with which we begin build season with. The day after finals we are already planning for next season. A week after finals and we already have a full years agenda. A month after finals and we are probably already halfway through it.

We also don't work long hours every day the first week. . .every day after kickoff we LIVE in the shop. All the way till finals we are in the shop.

We also don't "rush" to build a robot (no offense. The engineering/design process is a constant process where every day after the initial design we find any problem with the design. If any is found we correct it immediately.

I also have to say...we have an incredible welder. SHE does good work!

Andres, I can't agree with you more. We already have a ton of plans and a calendar full of events. Now its time to execute, good luck teams for the 2010 season.

[Aren_Hill]

Originally Posted by Stu Bloom

... and I know you guys had an awesome robot this year, Midwest Champions AND Regional Chairman's, AND WI Champions! Congratulations on your success! You must be doing something right ...

But I have to wonder ... are we forgetting about the science and technical INSPIRATION, and just rushing to build a robot as fast as possible? I just dont understand how, even working long hours every day the first week, anyone could get through a reasonable engineering/design process and have something built that quickly. Maybe I need to rotate through some other teams over the next couple of years to undetstand how that happens ...

We did go through our process, just this time their was alot less arguing and everyone immediately came to a consensus on the sunday after kickoff (unheard of).

We try to focus as much as possible on teaching members outside of the build season to have them as prepared as possible to hit the ground running.

plus having 2 welded frames doesnt say too much as we quickly chose to go straight for a simple wide 4wd with toughboxes, nothing fancy (as opposed to a crab)

lots of what Art said applies

Originally Posted by rc_cola1323

That is awesome Aren, we applied for three grants for another CNC. We plan to make two frames next year. One practice bot and is CNC'd (freshman training and protoing it) and the other for real.

Manual mill and bandsaw ftw
didnt even waterjet anything this year i believe, so no cnc whatsoever