08-01-2004 16:25

Aignam

Re: pic: Rocket City Robotics (34) Rapid Prototyping System

Does this mean that the robot that you ship is not the one you use in competition? Or am I mistaken..

08-01-2004 17:05

Greg Ross

Re: pic: Rocket City Robotics (34) Rapid Prototyping System

I think what Ed is saying is that the "original" robot is the prototype 'bot, in which they work out all the bugs. Then in a shortened perid of time, toward the end of the build period, they are able to build the "real" robot using "re-manufactured" parts. And this is the robot that they ship, and with which they compete.

08-01-2004 17:50

MichalSkiba

Re: pic: Rocket City Robotics (34) Rapid Prototyping System

If only we had that kind of money.

08-01-2004 19:47

Aignam

Re: pic: Rocket City Robotics (34) Rapid Prototyping System

Ah, this makes alot more sense. For a moment, I thought he was saying that they built a robot for prototyping, worked all the kinks out, then rebuilt their entire robot during the first day of competitions. At which point I promptly called myself crazy and asked a dumb question. ::sigh:: Thanks for the response.

08-01-2004 19:53

Jedi Padawan

Re: pic: Rocket City Robotics (34) Rapid Prototyping System

We did that last year and tryed to do it well and learned a whole lot from it... one that we will almost assuredly never do that again.. (lots of problems trying to run two of one type of subteam off of one set of tools and one laptop.) Secondly that when you do that you accumulate debt really fast. added to the flight tickets (unexpected cost for my team) it is highly expensive and for us after our move cost and time prohibitive. We are hoping just to make the original bot a little faster this year.

08-01-2004 20:26

Aignam

Re: pic: Rocket City Robotics (34) Rapid Prototyping System

::nods:: Good plan.

08-01-2004 20:50

Ed Sparks

Re: pic: Rocket City Robotics (34) Rapid Prototyping System

Thanks Greg, this is exactly what we do.

08-01-2004 21:13

Ed Sparks

Re: pic: Rocket City Robotics (34) Rapid Prototyping System

We didn't develop this in a single year's time. Team 34 has been in business for 8 years now. If you start a "RP system" of common parts now and build on it from year to year, It actually saves you money but more importantly, time, down the road.

Other Points:
- We only manufacture the actual parts we used along with any specialty items.
- We know that many of these parts will be required before we know the game so manufacturing can begin on day one. (pillow blocks, bearing holders, corner brackets, etc)
- We can maintain an inventory of usefull "off the shelf" parts (bearings, fasteners, pulleys, gears) which minimizes lead time.


It works for us ....................