Off-season projects: What are your teams working on?

[AdamHeard]

My team is having a team meeting this saturday (1st one since championships) and I want to propose some projects to work on. What are you guys doing that are fun/useful/interesting?

I was thinking of spending a few days designing a vex game (or make the 2005 game from knex & tye wraps) and splitting into groups to make vex robots to compete in it.

I'm sure you guys have some better ideas though.

thanks

[sanddrag]

CNCing a little milling machine.

[Cuog]

Improve your workroom, our team built 2 more tables and fixed the organization issues.

Also you can build a programming base that is basically a kitbot that you can attach anything you want to it to practice programming for different mechanical designs(all parts of the build team can get invoved on this).

Another option is to get the animators on your team working, practicing, and teaching 3ds to other students that didnt have time to get involved during build season but may still be interested.

Of course doing all three is probably your best choice

[fimmel]

were doing inventory, designing some different drivetrains, and building a cart (hopefully)
/forest

[kramarczyk]

We're going back to the 2006 bot and conducting an engineering review with the goal of improving it so that it works like we wanted. We may even couple this with an off season event to create a mini build season.

[Booger]

me and another kid are at our sponsor marotta controls', and our summer job is to improve the robot, and learn as much as possible. Right now where learining the code inside and out, and designing a new chassis.

[Not2B]

Taken directly from our summer worklist we developed.

Retrofit 2006 with belts instead of rollers
- Reliablity for demos, try a new technology which might be useful

Ginger II (I'm sure I'll get smacked for saying this, but it's already working, it's full size, it was done by our geekTeam (special projects team), and it's amazing.)
- Learn gyros and accelerometers
- Cool demo unit

Class developement (CAD and Programming)
- Try out teaching over the summer so that bigger, student run classes can be run during pre-season.

Portable Dashboard Unit
- For use in de-bug and pit monitoring

CNC Mill Retrofit
- To use as a tool to make cool parts
- To show people what a CNC Mill is

Collection of documents
- To keep the collection of important documents going to make each year easier

Team Handbook
- Update team handbook and by-laws
- Should be done each year

Crate
- Lighten the shipping crate

We've actually started on all of these. We have alot of students, and not alot of mentors, so us mentors do stuff in the summer to get the students up to speed so the more experienced students can teach the new students during the real season, and the mentors can "float" were needed. Notice each task has a goal. It's not always to make something, but to learn something.

[FIRST JerseyKid]

What kind of projects have you and your team done before.

For teams that are newer that need more of the basics I suggest:
1) Design anything in inventor.
2) Program a robot to do autonomous.
3) Make a model in 3d Max.
4) Build a base with something new.

Next lvl:
1) Design a GearBox in inventor
2) Program a robots autonomous using a sensor.
3) Make an animation in 3d Max using models.
4) Build a robotic arm that can do something interesting.

Next lvl:
1) Do animations and blueprints in inventor.
2) Program a robot to do a fully sensored autonomous.
3) Make a 3ds Max using inventor models, max models, textures, and particle effects.
4) Build a precision gearbox.

Next lvl:
1) Make a group project and divide the work and bring it together at the end.
2) Make your own sensors. Build your own custom circuits.
3) Make a full project dividing the project to different members and joining it together in the end.
4) Build something made in inventor.

theres more. I donno im just going on and on.

[kaszeta]

Alas, due to circumstances beyond our control, our team has lost yet another workshop (our 3rd in as many years. Too bad, this year's workshop was pretty convenient), so right now all of our stuff is in storage, and the coaches, mentors, and students are all trying to figure out where we're doing next year's build season.

[AdamHeard]

Thanks for all of the ideas, I will certainly present them to my team this weekend. Being a vex fan myself, I prefer that , but I'm sure my team can do several things at once.

Based on last year's fall projects I hope we will;
Have a small vex comp (our team) to train newcomers (Those games look really interesting). Or something similar with vex.

Make a driving base (we lost some good mechanical people, so we can learn from this), and then maybe make it into a programming base (as suggested).

Thanks Again.

[Jaine Perotti]

Originally Posted by cromat44

My team is having a team meeting this saturday (1st one since championships) and I want to propose some projects to work on. What are you guys doing that are fun/useful/interesting?

I was thinking of spending a few days designing a vex game (or make the 2005 game from knex & tye wraps) and splitting into groups to make vex robots to compete in it.

I'm sure you guys have some better ideas though.

thanks

This sounds like a great start!

Check out the VEX game created by WPI called Savage Soccer. It may give you some good ideas about coming up with a game. Another option is creating a mini-FRC game - essentially a miniature version of any of the past FRC games. For example, check out these photos of some of the mini-FRC projects that some other people on CD have done:

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/22081
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/25265
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/25133
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/23942
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/23941
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/23802

And, you should be sure to check out any of the photos tagged with VEX.

Also, consider doing workshops with your team that teach less experienced members how to do basic electronics, programming, and simple mechanics. These are good to hold in the fall too, when freshmen are just joining the team. Just knowing the basics will make new members of the team feel much more confident about their role on the team.

Another thing that many teams do is modify their existing FRC robot for the offseason. Check out the offseason events near you.

Good luck!

edit: on a note of caution -
Be aware of the fact that during the summer, many people are away on vacation and may not be able to attend meetings. Don't plan a large scale project unless you can be certain that you will have enough people regularly attending meetings.