SMED Principles

With this years one minute on field assembly rule, teams might consider quick connect fasteners used in SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Dies), for example, spring loaded locks, quarter turn fasteners.

Ahh yes. Some of my favorite design tasks are coming up with specialized fixtures and jigs for implementing SMED principles. I can’t wait to see what some of the teams dream up for being able to take their robot apart and put it back together quickly.

It also has the advantage of creating a more modular design. I can see teams having multiple mechanisms each optimized for a different task like stacking totes, picking up containers, etc. Then choosing which one to use for each particular match.