Here is a Cliff’s Notes version of what 217 does. Please note that we have a wierd situation that requires our design team to work in a different location than the rest of the team due to the donated facilities available to us. However, this formula can work even if everyone is in the same location.
Day 1 - Kickoff - Attend remote kickoff and build field (must build the field elements before strategizing). Small strategy sessions, but not really much discussed. Everyone reads the rules multiple times.
Day 2 - Sunday (the only Sunday planned work day) - Finish building field and strategize as an entire team. It is handled like a traditional brainstorming session with all ideas put on the board. We do not talk about designs at all, just ways to play the game and strategic elements we want to accomplish. We try to finish strategy session on this day. Last year was the first year since 2004 that we needed two days for strategy (we were very, very close to doing a mini lap bot).
Day 3 through end of week 2 - Design students (about 10 - 14) and I do robot design at FANUC Robotics product development lab using SolidWorks. We design every part in SW before manufacturing except the part that contacts the playing pieces. In addition, the remaining students work at the Ford Plant (our main home) either doing strategy (i.e. reading the rules to become experts), Chairmans submission planning, WFA planning, or prototyping. The prototyping team is broken into three or four teams to try different ideas for grabbing the work piece. The main responsibility of the prototyping team is to determine the best strategy for manipulting the work pieces. They are in constant communication with the design team. The design team will only design an interface to the grabber / manipulator and the prototype team is responsible for the rest. After the first working prototype is complete, then the design team will model it in CAD to make detail drawings for reference when making spares, etc.
Week 3 - Finish designing some parts and start receiving drive base sheet metal components from our sponsors. Also start manufacturig the shafts, brackets and gear lightening in our shop. We use the internal parts to the AndyMark gear boxes so we also start modifying some of those parts.
Week 4 - Receive manipulator parts and other longer lead parts and start assembling the robots (we build a practice robot). Drive base should already be completed and driving around debugging drive code and autonomous navigation. If not, there is always an old drive base lying around to debug code.
Week 5 - Cable and pneumatic routing and sub-assembly build. Debugging of manipulator code.
Week 6 - Driver practice and autonomous debugging. Driver practice and autonomous debugging. Driver practice and autonomous debugging. Driver practice and autonomous debugging. I think you get the point.
We have followed this model exactly since 2005 as 2004 was a complete debacle from the robot standpoint due to our lack of discipline during the design cycle. It is completely normal for us not to have one thing powered until the middle of week 5.