by Dorian Chan and Abhishek Aditham

Programming

Today the programmers worked on state machines for the shooter on the robot. They have been using state machines for various subsystems on the robot in order to control and interact with them. State machines track what state the robot is in and change the state based on input.

The web guys worked on creating a pit display for competition, where people will be able to view information about the team’s robot.

Parts Organization

Team members worked on sorting miscellaneous parts into blue bins. By organizing misplaced parts, the team will be more efficient at finding parts it needs.

Machining

Some students worked on creating mounts made out of polycarb for the robot’s air tanks using the drillpress and the bandsaw. They later put the tanks onto the robot using the mounts and worked on finishing the pneumatic system.

Electronics and Wiring

A couple of members worked on mounting and wiring the router onto the robot. This router is the primary means of communication between the driver station and the robot. Members working on the sponsor panels took a break cutting out the stickers for the Decepticon insignia.

Construction

The team also worked on finishing the red bumpers for the robot and one of the blue bumpers. A couple other students created labels of the team’s sponsors for the side panels. The team has decided to put sponsor names on the side panels of both robots, and so far the competition panels have been completed.

The team also worked on replacing the shifter plates for the practice robot's drivebase.

Flier

The graphics design team continued work on developing a flier to showcase the robot.

Action Items

• Finish sponsor panels for practice robot with Jeremy, Mani and Travis
• Prepare for the photo shoot
• Finish both competition and practice robots
• Programming the hot goal sensors with Tom and Brandon
• Work on the flier and T-shirt with Kevin

Over the weekend, the software team was hard at work on 3 ball autonomous routines. Here's some video.

Also, shooting on the move works quite nicely.

by Vidur Maheshwari '17 and Joey Rodoni '16

Scrimmage Complete

Today was the second and final day of the scrimmage. The team had a lot of fun working with and helping other teams. 254 saw some interesting designs and robots over the past weekend.

Hot Goal Sensors

Today students mounted the sensors that will check if a goal is hot during autonomous. Using these sensors the team will be able to score more points in autonomous mode. The sensor will locate the hot goal reflective tape with infrared lights and detectors.

Bumpers

Today the team finished both blue bumpers. The frame for the red bumper has been constructed.

Hot Goals

Today students mounted both hot goal indicators for the blue goal during the scrimmage.

Rear Intake

Finally, today the team finished building the rear intake by mounting the rear intake motor and adding the shield for that motor.

Xzibit Pistons

Today the team installed the catcher pistons on the competition robot and tested them. The pistons will open and close the catching portion of the robot. One piston on each side will move the actual frame and the other smaller piston will lock the piston in place.

Action Items

• check Trello for to-do list
• Finish the robot
• make side panels
• Finish the code
• Finish the robot pamphlet
• Make the technical binder
• Make the red bumper

The day after tomorrow the final stretch of build season begins. The team will have 48 hours to complete the robot before it must be bagged and tagged. This is a key milestone in the season.

The Scrimmage

By Ryan Johnson, Louis Lin, and Alex Cherry

Team 604 (Quixilver), Team 192 (Gunn Robotics), Team 4765 (PWR up), Team 581 (Blazing Bulldogs), Team 1351 (TKO), Team 3501 (Firebird Robotics), Team 4990 (Gryphons), and Team 2813 (Gear Heads) all shared our lab today to practice on our almost full size field. Since most of the teams don’t have access to a field often (if at all), it allowed them to tune their robots so that they score, pass, catch, and move better.

Wiring and Assembly

While the other teams were testing their robots, we were finishing the wiring on our practice and competition robots. Specifically, we were working on wiring bump sensors and Intakes. We also worked on finishing the hood. Aside from a couple of parts and wires, the robot is mostly built.

Manufacturing

A Couple of our team members worked on manufacturing piston parts, and a couple of members worked on assembling the bumpers. The pistons that they are working on create a unique linkage between two pistons where one piston "locks" the other piston in place so that the rear intake can be locked up when shooting.

The bumper team started making two blue bumpers. Students affixed pool noodles along each side of the wood bumper frame with gaffers tape. Then, they stretched a full loop of cordura fabric around each bumper and stapled it down along the inside. Students took extra care to eliminate as many wrinkles as possible on the bumper fabric.

Shot Testing

As students tested the robot shooter, they noticed that the ball was being impeded by something before it touched the shooter flywheel. Using a slow\-motion camera, they were able to observe the process of the clappers pushing the ball up the shooter. Programmers adjusted the timing of the clappers to push the ball up vertically. Then, they adjusted the power of the clapper pistons to optimize each shot.

Action Items

\- Finish Assembling Bumpers
- Finish Assembling the robot
- Make Robot Flyers
- Make the Robot Binder
- Program the robot

by Vidur Maheshwari '17 and Eric Wang '17

Cleaning Routine

Since the scrimmage will occur on Day 43 and 44, today's work was primarily cleanup. Most teams in the area will attend; therefore, today's main goal was to make the lab as presentable as possible. The team finished assembling the whole field to be operated on tomorrow. 254 is very excited and looks forward to tomorrow’s scrimmage! Here is a list of the cleaning procedures today:

Parts Inside Shed

Students started organizing pieces of wood and scrap outside. This was for the scrimmage teams so that they could find parts easily and better make use of our facilities.

Barrage

The current 2014 robots, Barrage and practice Barrage \(P\-Barrage? Parrage?\), were carefully and safely brought to tables on the upper floor of the lab.

Battery battery

Also, because there will be many teams on day 43 and 44, the team organized the battery charging area. During the scrimmage the team will not only be charging other team’s robots, but will give its own batteries to other teams so that they can more efficiently drive and test their robots.

Past Years' Robots

Students packed the twin Overkills as well as the 2012 robot Skyfire into a mentor's car to be transported to the VEX lab so that they would not contribute to the chaos in the scrimmage.

Field Setup

As for the field, the visiting teams would need to test their scoring in both goals, so the team added a net to the blue goal. This would keep the balls that are scored from damaging the parts and machines behind the goal and hurting any drivers below.

General Cleanup

The final part was cleaning the shelves and putting away the tools and parts. Organizing and cleaning the shelves will make it easier for the team and others to find parts, but it will also lessen the team's struggles find parts in the future. For example, the team moved monitors from behind the driver control stations to the area near the drill presses \(the southern walls\). Upon realizing this created a mess as well, the team later moved those monitors outside and dismantled the shelves holding them. In addition, students moved the mess next to the east wall to the upper floor. This mess included the computer monitors plus the lost and found. Also, students vacuumed all floors, including the competition field, of all metallic bits. This was achieved using a combination of manual labor and the Roomba \(Consuela\). Finally , students built a new shelf for driver stations.

Actual Robot Work

Although most of today’s time was spent on cleaning, the team managed to machine some parts as well. Notably, the team got the flywheel powder coated and the bumper to work.

Additions to the Competition Pit

The programming team programmed the collage for the giant display screen in the pit during competitions.

Awards Submissions

The essay team worked on the Woodie Flowers essay today. They revised the latest draft, as the essay will be due on bag and tag day.

Action Items

• Check Trello for To-Do List
• Finish both robots
• Finish code for both the robot and the pit display screen
• Make the Flyer for both the robot and the team (Kevin, Godwin, and Jeremy)
• Make Technical Binder (Mani and Abhi)
• Help Mani and Jeremy finalize Woodie Flowers

Field Construction

Work began on assembling the field today. We first opened up all of the shipping pallets containing the field elements and laid them out on the field. The assembling crew started with the low goal. They assembled the two blue low goals and then moved onto the blue high goal. They assembled the goal including the overhang to protect the drive station. They then attached the poles on the truss that represent the limits of the field above the truss. The field team also assembled one of the podiums for the ball to rest on behind the driver station. A few people attached another stabilizing to the base of the polycarb at the end of the truss.

Wiring

The wiring team, lead by EJ and Mani, wired the banebot motors that drive the intakes as well as the encoders attached to them. They also wired the VEX button sensors that keep the ball stationary in the intakes. For driving and testing purposes, they wired a single pneumatic tank to the comp robot.

Bumpers and Driving

The bumpers were successful attached to the practice robot to allow the robot to be driven around and tested.

Coding

The programmers fixed and calibrated the encoders on the drive base

CAD

Travis made some minor changes to the bumpers in the CAD

Manufacturing

Parts for the intake encoder mountings and the hot goal sensor mountings were manufactured today. The wooden sides for the bumpers were also manufactured.

Action Items:

• Finish constructing field
• Finish building robot
• Talk to Tom or Jared about programming

by Matt MacDonald '17

Today, our team worked to address some problems in our intake and truss. We also worked on programming an important system in our robot.

Intake

Our team worked to install and improve our intake system. First, our team changed out the bent arms in our robot and installed some gearboxes and motors. Next, we drilled grommet holes and finished up some wiring. Lastly, we used pneumatic wiring to further improve our intake system.

Some students created intake holders very important to the success of the robot.

Truss Improvements

In order to make the truss more stable and reliable students made a bar that would ensure that it would work correctly.

Programming

The robot needed a system that would allow it to quickly ready its ball to pass or shoot for a goal. The team programmed the robot so it could quickly move through several pre\-made states and shoot at a goal.

Action Items

• Assemble robot with Mani and Abhi
• Programming with Kevin and Brandon
• Finish bumpers
• Finish truss stabilizer
• Continue control testing

by Quentin Delephine '17

Assembly

Today the team spent a lot of time assembling both the practice and competition robots.

Students added rubber bumpers to the superstructure using rivets. This prevents the front intake from hitting the superstructure and damaging it.

Wiring and Pneumatics

Students helped finish plumbing the pinniped on the competition robot and Practice robot. The two sides of the pinniped can be fired independently. Students also plumbed the cylinders on the gearbox for the competition robot.

Truss

Students assembled the truss, and mounted it on the field.

Testing

The drive base and the pinniped were tested. They worked well and the drivers were able to score in the low goal.

Action Items

• Finish attaching rollers (and motors) to both robots
• Add bumpers to both robots
• Improve Truss mounts and bases
• Complete Plumbing and Wiring

Today was a rest day at the lab. Here's some slow motion videos from the past few days of testing at the lab. One week to go...

by Abhishek Aditham ‘15

Bumpers

Today, students continued construction of the bumpers. On the pieces of cut Cordura they marked 4 inch by 12 inch boxes onto which 254’s team number will later be embroidered.

Machining

Some students machined two pieces of tubing that will be used to hold up the shooting arm on the robot. These will temporarily be used for testing purposes until pistons will replace them.

Robot Construction & Testing

Some students and a mentor worked on the competition robot by attaching and organizing pneumatic tubing on its drive base. Later on, the mentors and a group of students began testing the robot’s shooter and were able to score into the high goal.

Award Submissions

Today a group of students continued writing and editing 254’s submission for the Chairman’s Award. A few other students created a to do list stating what would need to be done to complete the Media and Technology Innovation Award.

Action Items

• Assemble robot with Mani and Abhi
• Programming with Kevin and Brandon
• Check trello