We have been optimizing our shooter vision code, and preparing parts for a shorter tower. Boxed up the replacement tower parts last night. We kept adding stuff to the scale until we used every bit of the 30 lb witholding allowance. Hopefully the tower transplant will go well tomorrow morning. It was a major strategic decision to go for the tower transplant, taking the risk that surgical complications may ensue. After watching lots of match video, we think the improved performance during bridge balancing will be worth the risk. (Fingers crossed.)
We are doing similar Todd. Tomorrow for 2106 will be spent performing surgery and attaching a shooter, arm, and drivetrain. Similar to our Breakaway year, only a motor mount and a tiny piece of the frame that is in the bag will actually be used for tournament. The rest is in our 30 lb withholding allowance.
Breakaway: you enter competition with a drive base, and you walk out finalists. /whatever
Going to go pick up shirts this afternoon, and we will pack up our car around 5. We’re only a few blocks away from the venue, so we’ll show up to unload whenever between 6 and 8. Maybe we will see some of you there!
Not sure what team(s) it was that helped today, but whoever helped us get our robot back on the cart the THREE times it fell while loading up, 2106 is eternally grateful. That could have easily turned into a ripped bag and that would not have been fun.
what time were you there? We must have missed you guys.
All I got was to get heckled by some random team when we went to unload the trailer. It’s sad. You change the color of your shirt and you turn into a punching bag. Go figure.
Look up the Cave Johnson speech if that stuff is still concerning you Mr. Wilson. And we got there early, like 5:30 before they even opened the door. We’ll see you tomorrow though.
Speaking of tomorrow, lots of interesting things I saw hiding in bags tonight at the Siegel Center, and I can’t wait to see what needs doing after everyone pops their seals.
Good luck to all you guys competing at Richmond over the next few days, I know we’ll have the webcast on in my classroom after school as we work on Vex bots.
Would anyone be able to provide a me with a ride to the regional on Saturday morning. I am a DC resident, and I am supposed to shadow the VC for the regional to prep for the DC competition.
Did everyone enjoy our smoke display in the last practice match? And you thought that last year’s stalled minibots were fun…
So, it turns out that our turret is so quick it keeps right on going when it hits the limit switches. Those limit switches are supposed to prevent the spinning wheel from contacting the turret chain sprocket shielding. When the turret drives the side of the spinning wheel into a lexan shield, the shooter slows way down, motor current goes way up (driven by PID velocity control on the shooter wheel shaft encoder), and much smoke is released. Happily, we were very prepared for such a possibility. Swapping out the shooter drive module for our spare was quick and easy.
Our practice match also showed that the pneumatic cylinders actuating the bridge arm were too small. We started out with 1.5" diameter cylinders, and downsized to .75" for weight reasons. Since shortening the tower, we have the weight to use, so we swapped back to the original cylinders. No more wimpy bridge actuation.
Team 1598 had a fun day today. It looks like we have some fun matches tomorrow. Hopefully we can keep going where we were good and get better where we need to. We wish everyone the best of luck and look forward to a great day at a great regional. Thanks pit admin and the inspectors for getting everyone off to a great start today
If anything breaks for anyone, our shop is a few blocks away and we have tons of motors and things we have never used before. Stop by and let us know if we can help!
I want to give a quick shout-out to our superstar sophomore Zachary Allen, who decided that even though we were tipped over in essentially a 1v3 match, he wouldn’t settle for a loss. Cross-court shot tied it up 8-8 and gave us the .500 we wanted in what I think is the toughest seeding schedule we have ever been given.
Even though we have had some disappointments in working with some teams on the white bridge, we look forward to getting on and balancing it in at least one match tomorrow.
I’ll get to thank you’s and all of that later,but I heard 1262 may not be able to make it to Championships because of the budget. If you’re reading this and you’re 1262 or someone who can reach the STAGS, talk to the regional committee to see what they can do to help ASAP.
I’d love to see you guys again after we take North Carolina ;D
what time were you there? We must have missed you guys.