[DFTF] Budgeting for a Competitive Robot...

[Joe Johnson]

This is part of a series of posts called Drinking From The Firehose on getting Dr Joe back up to speed on All Things FIRST.

Today's topic:
Budgeting for a Competitive Robot...

Okay, we have finally come to the 500 lbs guerrilla in the room.

How much does a competitive FRC robot cost?

This is not an academic question. I have currently signed up for a 2nd Regional (thanks NASA!) but I only have $1,500 left in the account we've labeled “build a robot."

Can I build a competitive robot for $1,500 plus the KOPs?

Assets:

• I have some robot raw materials, probably not enough to build a robot but I guess ~80% of the way there (AL stock, some polycarb sheet, some wire, lots of zip ties, all the 10-24 screws & nuts you’d ever want, some #35 chain & master links, … ).
• I have a small shop (mini-mill, mini lathe, drill press, bandsaw, drop saw, belt/disk sander, marble block & height gauge, …).
• I have student labor (largely untrained at this point, but we will get there)

So… what I have to buy is

• sprockets
• bearings
• wheels
• motors
• gearboxes
• sensors/electronics
• pneumatic solenoid valves
• pneumatic cylinders
• Jaguars/Victors
• PWM Cables
• Bumpers
• 2CAN2?
• ??? 100's of other ticky tack things that add up

Here is what I would like folks to help me figure out:

Give me a base number:

• What does a competitive robot cost (all inclusive less KOP)?

Then break it down:

• Price for raw materials (AL, polycarb, screws, pop rivets, tie wraps, hold downs, pool noodles, nylon cloth, …)
• Price for the main drivetrain (assume use of 2 CIM + CIMpleBox + sensor from KOP to make a 6WD drop center chassis – add in special wheels, chain, sprockets, bearings, etc. that are not in the KOP)
• Price per Motor-driven Actuator (MA) include motor, gearbox, chain/sprockets, Jaguar/Victor, PWM/CAN cables, fuse, sensor? Also how many MAs should I plan on? WRT gearbox costs, assume that I am going to have to use stuff from Banebots and/or AndyMark because, while I design robot gearboxes for a living, I am pretty limited on the kind of stuff my kids can make with our shop.
• Price to “ante up” for pneumatics (assume KOP stuff pump, tanks, regs, switch,… include costs stuff needed to make the KOP stuff work).
• Price per Pnuematic-driver Actuator (PA) over and above ante price above include solenoid valve, cylinder, end fittings, plumbing, sensors …? Also how many PAs should I plan on? If there is a way to cheaply gain cost advantage by ganging valves (for example using a special N valve manifold that works well for FIRST and costs less per channel)
• Price for custom electronics (anything above and beyond the KOP stuff. I assume that the KOP angular rate sensor is acceptable, but what else do we need/want?)
• Other robot costs not included above (e.g. extra batteries)
• Finally, How many MAs and PAs total should I count on (assuming again 4 CIMs are used in the Chassis)?

So…

Don’t spare my feelings here. Tell it to me straight.



Do I need to cancel our plans to go to a second Regional? Maybe even THAT isn’t enough, if I need more, tell me now.



I’ll work to find the funds I need. But before I do that, I need to know what I need to raise...


Joe J.
Team Leader / Mentor
Team #3958
Schrodinger’s Cat
BC High, Boston MA