13598 MOBots & 15357 MOreBots 2024 Season Build Thread

10 OCT 24

1530-1930

Talk about a productive night!

Lets check our task list

Intake Transfer on ORANGE - IN PROGRESS
Mount Specimen Holder to BLACK - DONE
Finish Wiring and Mapping on BLACK - DONE
Print Number Plate Holders and Mount on both Robots - PARTIAL
Bucket Assembly Idea - Print basic Bucket - IN PROGRESS
Load Code onto BLACK and test Specimen system - DONE
Extension Wiring Ideas and Planning - IN PROGRESS

Intake Transfer

We’ve gone from the aluminum mock up to a 3d printed version. Our main concern is the transfer and we realized that for a part of the transfer we could easily lose control of the sample. No bueno.

The new intake uses a servo to intake the sample and a second servo as a “gate” to allow it to exit when we choose. The whole time we get positive control.

image

Our TPU intake wheels need some revisions, so we’ve got another version being printed by a team member.

Another issue has popped as to the rigidity of the intake slide. It’s not as tight as we’d like it, so we’re mulling this one over.

Bucket

Now that we have a location for the transfer the bucket team has started digging into things.

Code

We loaded code onto BLACK and did some driving! This is our first year with Android Studio so we had a few bumps but I’ll call this a solid end for the day. Our main programming mentor will be back next week and we can really start the fine tuning.

https://i.imgur.com/C4V1DGa.mp4

MONDAY

Mount number plate holders on both robots.
Print TPU battery holders. (PETG has been too brittle)
Finish Intake and Test (Not many words for a big task)
Basic Bucket & Servo Rotation Mount
Test specimen system on the field
Build on code
Wiring - Clean up and Organization
…the climb

4 Likes

Any reason for the TPU printed wheels over a COTS star wheel?

Speed of iteration and the ability to get the size just right. It’s also a good exercise for the OnShape team, especially newer folks, who can design something and iterate on it quickly.

We’re also looking at a surgical tube intake but I think there is more team benefit to working on this and deciding it might be a good path, instead of just settling on it.

1 Like

14 OCT 24

1530-1930

5 Weeks until competition!

Intake

We tested out a surgical tube intake just to get a feel of how it worked. In the process of testing we realized the thing we really needed was to adjust the height of the intake shaft. This was the biggest driver of intake success. In a nutshell we were too low. So our previous student designed TPU wheels worked just fine.

We’ve got a prototype printing now with a bunch of mounting slots so we can test shaft heights.

Wiring

Keeping this organized is always an adventure, luckily Gabe is back and leading the charge. In previous years we used an extendable RJ45 connector. It is not legal this year due to wire gauge requirements. So we’ve got some alternative tensioners in the works.

Students designed some “Panduit” to help with routing and organization too.

Controls

Brian, the Controls Lead is back! So we busted out the big screen and dug into the code. The goal is to use one robot as a code test bed while the mechanical systems are completed on the other. Then we swap, and code is wrapped up.

I’d really recommend your code team gets a big screen TV. It draws eyeballs like moths to a spotlight. Reading code on a laptop over someone’s shoulder is not conducive to learning.

Tuesday Tasks

  • Test intake servo mounts
  • Layout Bucket and Pivot
  • Keep Wiring
  • Controls Team Progress

15 OCT 24

1530-1930

Intake

We continued to test different intake wheels, surgical tubing, angles, and combinations.

https://i.imgur.com/Z4r1qMM.mp4

This is our intake with a servo. It grabbed but was inconsistent and suffered stalls and missed pulls. A lot of the time it would just push the sample out of the way and then occasionally grab it.

https://i.imgur.com/wJoUQPB.mp4

So we added some jank and strapped on a 90 degree Rev motor just to see how it looked. The improvement was drastic. Almost comically so, it just gobbled up the samples. Our next iteration will have a mounting pattern for the hex motor.

On the downside we are approaching what we think is the max lift for our servo… We can always add a gear reducer but sacrifices speed and space.

Our aluminum arm that linked the intake to the servo was a bit weak so we are going to cut a polycarbonate arm on the ShopBot on Thursday.

Bucket

Bucket team has a bucket in OnShape but is waiting to print it until the Intake Team has settled on a design. This should be Thursday. We will mount all of this on Thursday, I hope…

Wiring

Is coming along splendidly!

Controls

Getting used to Android Studio and working with GitHub has taken a bit of time but the lead code mentor has it in hand. The robot drove, but more importantly the controls team will start writing code on Thursday.

Practice

Could we head to the field and test scoring specimens? I think we could…

1 Like

17 OCT 24

1530 - 1930

Progress!

Intake & Bucket

We installed the latest iteration of the intake with the bucket. The arm is 3d printed so we could verify positioning, and the same with the bucket assemblies. Our linkage was a bit tight so we came up with another iteration.

In a nut shell we are relocating the gate to act as a guide to direct the samples into the bucket.

So the gate is being re-positioned downwards.

That is 4 of the recent iterations of 3d printed intakes.

Tightening & Tensioning & Spares

We’ve gone through and tightened up fasteners, added lock nuts, etc. We know we’ll see damage and destruction, so we are starting conversations about spare parts to print. But no reason to get the cart ahead of the horse.

OnShape File

So this is our living document. It is in a permanent state of chaos. Think of it as a gumby, a relational model with intent and in some cases actual data. Maybe the pivot arm isn’t exactly where you see it, but the arm itself is properly modelled and machined.

Monday

Complete the new intake design! Finish the mechanical assembly! Make 13598 match 15357. Programming will continue basic slide code. Already I’m really impressed with what I’m seeing for a basic framework. Very excited to see it in action.

Big goal will be a video of a robot in action next week!

1 Like

21 OCT 24 & 22 OCT 24

1530-1900

We’re in mechanical and wiring clean up mode. As things are being bolted, we’re checking, and having to do some rework. Also testing out crimped Molex servo cables instead of soldered. Everyone loves to solder, but it is so slooooow.

An almost robot!

INTAKE

Intake is in a good place but now that it’s on the robot we’re working through some new issues.

1st issue, the angle of attack is too steep and a lengthwise piece gets suck. Idea : instead of an angle, make an arc to help bring the sample in.

2nd issue, the lengthwise piece, if it is in, doesn’t “roll” off the back gate like the wide sample. So we’re relocating the gate slightly so the pivot is outside of the area of travel.

Also added retaining zip ties.

Another issue is rigidity of the TPU wheels. They really help grab the part, but if too rigid they push it out. So we’ll be printing some more TPU lighter wheels to assist the tubing intake.

Wiring and Clean Up

We’re doing a rough wiring in anticipation that we’ll make changes. Once we run a few cycles then we’ll start to lock things down.

Code

Controls team deployed code to make each slide move. I’m cautiously hopeful we’ll take a robot to the field on Thursday. So far Android Studio is working well and we have a few kids who really want to do some programming so that is really refreshing.

Pit Process

Now that the build is winding down I’ve assigned some of the more mechanically inclined members to make tool packs with all essential tools and nothing more. Each of the pit team members will have one of these belts.

They also started on a PM check list for when the robot comes to the pit. The idea is to get reliable checks on critical systems and make sure that the battery is swapped out. We rushed onto the field last year only to discover we had half dead battery.

The plan is one person (this will rotate) will hold the check list and is just responsible for making sure the list is followed. The other members will check fasteners, belt tension, swap the battery, and generally verify the health of the robot.

Thursday

Mount new intake prototype and test.
Prepare next iteration of intake for the Axon Max servo.
Finish PM checklist.
Code basic systems and verify functionality.
Trim linkages once motion is verified.
Trim specimen carriers once position is verified.

2 Likes

24 OCT 25

1530-1900

It’s amazing how some things seem to go so fast, but then other things take up way more time than you’d think. Servos are one of those things. Find the servo programmer, try to remember how to program it, download the manual, actually program it, then the code can run it…

Mount new intake prototype and test. - DONE
Prepare next iteration of intake for the Axon Max servo. - IN PROCESS
Finish PM checklist. - IN PROCESS
Code basic systems and verify functionality. - IN PROCESS
Trim linkages once motion is verified. - DONE
Trim specimen carriers once position is verified. - DONE

The revised intake works really well, just a slight arc is enough to draw in the sample really well. We’ll revise it for the Axon Max next week and be ready for that.

Code is going. At times it takes a bit longer, but the bones are there and it’s just putting it all together. I’m hoping we can get to MVP by the end of the week and then tune it from there.

Parkinsons Law is something that we always fight. Yes, our first (and potentially only) meet is November 22nd. But we don’t have until 22 NOV to finish the code and build autons. It’s one of those things that is easy to get lost on and then suddenly we’re out of time.

Monday Tasks

  • MVP of Code and Subsystems
  • Axon Max Intake Iteration
  • PM Checklist
  • TriFold and Pit Discussion
1 Like

28 OCT 24

1530-1900

Big output for the day was minimum viable product of code and subsystems. With one glaring point (more later). Our teams did not yet model the revised intake for the Axon max so that will happen today.

CONTROLS

Last years drive teams worked with the controls team to map out buttons and then set constants for the subsystems. This run is the absolute basics, we will fine tune control specifics later.

Wiring

The other robot was straightened up and de-spaghitified. We’re holding off on some mechanical additions until we solidify the 1st robot.

Giveaways

We’ve got most of the Bambu’s printing specimens to go with necklaces. This will go with our button giveaways.

Process Video

Once the team finished up control mapping we did a table run. There was a very interesting unexpected moment. Our rear gate servo was not positioned so we left it where it was and it actually worked perfectly as a transfer mechanism without the servo doing anything. The next iteration will have a ramp instead of a door.

Overall very pleased with the performance and how well it intakes, out takes, rises, and dumps.

Field

At the field we ran into an issue. Our drivetrain subsystem had revisions that were not tested. So the field centric part went completely wonky so we hand pushed the robot around. Literally the human player. But it worked! Intake picked up a piece without much issue, it collected and hung a specimen, and scored a sample into the baskets.

TODO

Model intake for Axon Max servo
Model intake for adjustable ramp instead of rear servo
3d Print new Versions
Fix Drivetrain Code
Add position variables and work on state machine

2 Likes

29 OCT 24

1530-1900

Our OnShape team redesigned the intake and applied some DFM principles. We’ve found that people design however they’d like and just add more supports, and more supports, and more supports. Which can be great if the geometry requires it, but we’re trying to make it so things print flat with a minimum amount of supports and then get bolted together.

We’re also going to cut new intake and bucket arms out of polycarbonate.

Controllers

Yes, controllers. Not controls. This little guy caused us no amount of grief. We thought we had control and IMU issues, instead it was this. We’ve got half a dozen new controllers inbound so hopefully this is behind us.

Controls

We had a good night working through variables and building the control structure. One example, making sure you can’t rotate the bucket if the specimen elevator is raised. The team then mapped out some rules and we’ll start applying them on Thursday.

On the downside we’re still having issues with our field centric code. Our code mentor is out of town until Thursday so we’re going to tackle that when he’s in. Our goal moving to Android Studio was to compartmentalize our code into easily digestable chunks for the students. On the downside the overall structure is more complex. The quick fix is to put our working field centric code that we tested with back into the main program but we’d like to do it right.

Long term we’ll use the same “bones” for each year and build on it.

Thursday Goals
Assemble new intake and output gate
Field Centric Code Troubleshooting
Polycarbonate arms to print
Set positions and variables for trouble free operation
Field Practice? (Can do robot centric and verify positions)

4 NOV 24

1530-1930

Edit- Not sure why images aren’t loading?

Suddenly then Slowly

We’ve now reached the stage where the changes are less big things like intakes, and more like, how do we keep this wire from snagging?

Second Robot

https://i.imgur.com/OPKyNjQ.jpeg

Now that 15357 is almost complete we are digging into 13598. The goal is to make them as much of a twin as possible. We still had to print the intake so they mostly taught servos and mounted polycarbonate arms.

Controls

https://i.imgur.com/KgZtRIo.jpeg

The team made a more user friendly controls map. We also went over a state machine for the intake and discussed how we can use it elsewhere.

We’ll be digging into autons and the OTOS here in the coming days. Very excited to see this come together.

MVP

https://i.imgur.com/SjdGJPM.jpeg

This is it! Minimum viable product. It’ll need some tuning, field time, and wire cleanup. But Houston, we have a robot. We have 17 days until competition. Our goal was to be finished with 21 days to go, so we’re really close to estimate.

Wire Cleanup

https://i.imgur.com/cqGql1C.jpeg

Most of our energy for the evening was spent on that single servo cable. It needs to extend without snagging and come down without falling into the danger zone. We tried a surgical tube festoon. Surgical tube loops. Rubber band collectors. Nothing worked quite how we liked it.

https://i.imgur.com/6wKyloi.jpeg

This is option #1. A retractable ethernet cable reel except we remove the undersize ethernet cable (26 Ga) and put in a three conductor 20 Ga cable that is legal. The cabling feels like more SOOW (kind of gummy) then PVC coated wiring (smoother) so it doesn’t retract as nicely. Solution wise though it is great so we’ll test it tonight.

https://i.imgur.com/iHVdb8j.jpeg

Other option is a key retractor to pull the cable where we like.

Tuesday Goals

  • Wiring Adventure
  • Load Code, Test Robot, Go to Field (!)
  • Bucket State Machine
  • Finish Assembly of 13598

5 NOV 24

1530-1930

Big news was we went to the field with the robot! More on that in a minute.

We mounted the cable reel lubricated with graphite and were quite pleased with the end result. The SJ sheath doesn’t move as smoothly as the PVC ethernet sheath, but well enough for our purposes. Winding it is kind of a pain, if you’ve ever tried to rewind a snowblower you’ll know what I mean.

Controls team worked on positions and tested out code issues. The main one was getting the intake out of the way before the bucket goes up.

image

At the field we had to mechanically adjust the specimen mechanism to get proper lift. No biggie!

Field day is always exciting! Now it’ll shift to drive practice, auton builds, and OTOS tuning. The OTOS is something we’re really excited for and can’t wait to show it off.

The intake works good, has some issues if the sample comes in straight on. We’ve got some ideas on how to work that out by changing the angle of attack and maybe intake spider density. The transfer works great, as does the dump system.

Climb is the big monkey on our back. This will occupy some thought in the coming weeks.