As a member (the only one :ahh: ) of a rookie team, I find it difficult to prepare for the competition… I am trying to list what should be brought but I am sure I forget important things/documents… Could you help me creating a list of important things to bring?
Here is what I currently bring :
The robot (duh!)
The bumpers (reduh!)
Team standard
Pit decorations
Cart
Batteries
Game pieces
Bag and tags
Controllers
Bag and tag form
Team rooster (not very long!)
Entrepreneurship document
What other documents should we bring?
Tools (Wont list all of them… What are the most important to bring?)
Spare material (To repair or build new stuff)
Spare electronics. Kids these days have much more resilient controllers (My day was Jaguars and Victors and all open case :p) but it’s still possible to see them fail. If they do, you’ll want a ready replacement.
Also, zip ties. Lots and lots of zip ties in all manner of sizes.
If it was not filled out online you need to bring consent and release forms.
In addition to what you listed you need the following:
Safety glasses
Good walking/standing shoes
Driver station console (with laptop running the newest driver station software)
Common sense
A sense of humor
In regards to tools, I suggest a small flat head screw driver for your electrical board and a long ethernet or usb A to B cable to tether with.
You mentioned game pieces. So you know, the game pieces for the actual matches are provided by FIRST. (I know this sound obvious, but I have had to tell teams that they didn’t need to bring their litter pool noodles to the field.)
I went looking for the list GeeTwo mentionned… Here it is if someone is curious/lazy…
TOOL BOX ITEMS
■ Ball driver set / nut driver set
■ Batteries and Charger
■ Box cutter
■ Broom (small, for team Pit cleanup)
■ Cable ties / connectors / rubber bands
■ C-Clamp, large, medium, small
■ Cutters
■ Deburring tool
■ Dremel tool/accessories
■ Drill - cordless w/charger
■ Drill bit set
■ Flashlight
■ Glue, super and/or glue stick
■ Hacksaw and blades
■ Hammer (ball peen & brass)
■ Heat gun
■ Leatherman-type tool
■ Level, small
■ Lithium grease, spray can
■ Magnet on a stick
■ Paint brush
■ Pliers - large, small, needle nose assort.
■ Power outlet strip/extension cord (2)
■ Power screwdriver
■ Saber saw/wood & metal blades
■ Sandpaper - various grits
■ Screws - nuts - washers
■ Screw driver assortment, flat and
■ Phillips
■ Shrink tubing
■ Socket set – 1/4”, 3/8” drive
■ Soldering iron (electric), solder, wick, flux
■ Spare parts
■ Square - small, medium
■ Tap & die set/assorted taps
■ Tape
■ Clear
■ Electrical
■ masking
■ Tape measure / ruler
■ Tin snips
■ Tweezers / scissors
■ USB stick/drive
■ Vice grip - large, small
■ Volt meter
■ WD-40 / lithium grease, spray can
■ Wire terminal crimpers / Wire strippers
■ Work gloves- several pairs
■ Wrenches, Allen, crescent, open and box
■ X-Acto type knife and blades
ADDITIONAL ITEMS
■ Banners - Corporate signs & flags for team Pit
■ Camera and film, disposable
■ Cart for moving robot
■ Drop light
■ Epoxy
■ File folder box for paperwork
■ Hand truck
■ Laptop / software / cables / discs
■ Manual and updates
■ Medical Release Forms
■ Message board - dry erase marker set
■ Notepads / spiral notebook / clipboard
■ Paper / Sticky Notes
■ Paper towels and paper cups
■ Pens / pencils / sharpies / markers
■ Portable printer
■ Release form for each person, completed
■ Seat(s) for team Pit (small, foldable)
■ Schedule to set up and break down team Pit
■ Spray cleaner
■ Stapler / staples
■ Storage box / bins- trinkets & trash (buttons)
■ Team roster and contact information
■ Trash can (small) / trash bags
■ Plastic zip type bags
PERSONAL ITEMS
■ Alcohol Prep Pads / First Aid Tape
■ Anti-Nausea or Diarrhea Medication
■ Cough Drops / Sore Throat Medicine
■ Eye Wash And Drops
■ Facial Tissues/ Cotton Balls / Wet Cloths/
■ Feminine Products
■ First Aid Kit - Band-Aids / Blister Kit / Ice Pack
■ Hand Sanitizer / Liquid Soap
■ Insect Sting Medicine / Insect Repellent
■ OTC Pain Medication; i.e., Aspirin, etc…
■ Safety Glasses
■ Sewing Kit (Small)
■ Sunscreen / Sunburn Spray / Aloe Vera Gel
If you bring game pieces, clearly label them with your team number. This helps keep them off the field if you forget they’re in your robot, and helps them find their way home if you loan them out.
Depending on the complexity of your robot you can be a little judicious about what tools and raw materials you bring to the pit. Remember there’s (very) limited space there.
Some teams do the “kitchen sink” approach and bring giant tool chests filled with tools and fasteners and spares. “Just in case” you decide to cobble together something completely new and unexpected, or complete a repair you weren’t planning on. You will also be the best friend of any other team who needs that one obscure part or tool.
You could also pack only the things you’re likely to need. If you’ve standardized on 1/4-20 and 10-32 fasteners, do you need to bring your team’s entire 400-piece socket set, or could you get by with a far more portable 50-piece set?
Don’t forget to bring a nice long Ethernet cable (15-25 feet) for use in your pit or in the practice field - wireless connections are not allowed. I would suggest bringing several in case you accidentally snap off the little locking pin on the RJ-45 connector.
Don’t forget the most important thing: buttons to hand out
Update your driver station laptop before you get there. I presume you can’t update your RoboRio, CANTalons, etc. because they’re currently in a bag, but get the firmware files ready on your PC and know exactly how to do the firmware update so that you can do it quickly when you get there.
(Hint: I would do it BEFORE they ask you to flash your robot radio to competition firmware, because there is a chance you will struggle with connection and IP issues afterward. You will fix any such issues eventually, but you will be much less stressed if you have already done the updating beforehand.
The goal is to go as quickly as possible from unbagging the robot to being fully inspected and ready to compete on the practice field.
But… Buttons are expensive to buy from another team! So is a machine to make them… And, how can I have the time to make them myself?!? :ahh: Anyone wants to gift some?
