Hello all! To start with, we had a short week thanks to finals, so we’ve decided to sum up the whole week with one (drum roll here) Super Blog! Even though this was a small week, between all three days we have a lot to report, from considerable achievements on the Build front to steady progress from the Programming and Business Teams. So without further ado, let’s dig in!
The Build Team is at full speed ahead, with the prototype launcher completed and a new working schematic for the climbing rig, but most importantly, as of 4:45 pm, we now have a functional chassis! On the more technical side, we’ve upgraded to neo brushless motors, which have an almost identical power output, but each of which weigh two pounds less. This may seem like a relatively small improvement, but with a maximum weight of 150 pounds, and our cargo launching system alone requiring a minimum of three motors to run, saving two pounds on each motor is going to give us a lot more breathing room in our designs. Unfortunately, although our climb and launching systems will definitely feature the new motors, we’ll be using our older ones for the drive system. Although the Neo Brushless Motors are strong enough, running them constantly throughout the match does introduce a risk of overheating, something we’re going to need to avoid at all costs.
Moving on to the more flashy stuff, we’ve completed the prototype for the cargo launcher (henceforth to be called the Cargo Cannon), and now have a more accurate model for how we’re going to make the climb system happen. Although we’re still working out exactly what the motor power backing the climb system will be, we’ve run tests with the prototype Cargo Cannon, and test motors running at 200 rotations per minute were able to propel a cargo ball five feet in the air. At the competition, we’ll need to fire the cargo into the top of the Cargo Hub, which will stand at well over eight feet off the ground; a daunting obstacle for any of our previous robots. In response, the design will be able to have our motors running at up to 5600 rotations per minute. Assuming the flywheel launcher can gain traction at even close to that speed, the Cargo Cannon will be able to fire at something to the tune 20 of times the power required to clear the hub at long range. For a design we’ve never tried before, I’d say that’s not half bad.
Meanwhile, the Programming Team has been hard at work updating the code to the latest operating system, streamlining the operational interface, and making the general code more efficient by removing unnecessary commands. This will allow us access to more up to date commands for our new software (this will come in handy for both the climbing rig and the Cargo Cannon, as we’ll be needing new code for them both), and also allow us to more easily upload our code onto new devices, should we get them. Additionally, the improvements to the code itself will reduce input lag on our controls, giving our drive team an edge against our opponents.
Next, the Business Team has taken the time to get a working draft of the award presentations done, to the point of near completion. Once we’re able to finish the award presentations, we’ll be free to focus entirely on community outreach. Everything we’ve built today has been made possible by our community, and after everything that’s been given to us, we’re eager for any opportunity to give back. Next week is going to be our time to finish the awards entirely, and once that’s finished, we’re going to be able to do just that.
Finally, we would be remiss if we didn’t talk about the tables. For those of you who haven’t heard already, we’ve just upgraded to a set of four fully optimized, student built work tables, courtesy of Team Captain Will Chamberlin. The tables themselves, built as part of Will’s Eagle Scout Project, are designed to be easily moveable, sturdy enough to carry heavy parts, and small enough to efficiently use the limited space in our workshop. To top it all off, each table is equiped with its own seperate power strip, helping to ensure we’ll never have to complain about about the workshop’s chronic lack of available outlets again. We’d like to issue a special thanks to Verrex and Ritchie Lumber for making the project possible through their donations, and to Will for spending his own free time to help the team so much!
So that’s just about everything. The robot has been coming together at a breakneck pace, and with three more weeks of meetings before competition, we’re in a perfect position to bring this operation home. That being said, we’re not letting this success get to our heads. This robot has the potential to be our best one yet, but if we’re going to make that a reality, we’re still going to need a lot of hard work and effort. So thank you all for your support in this critical juncture, and stay tuned!
