FIRST Robots: Aim High

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| FIRST Robots

MODIFYING

A DESIGN

TO REACH

PERFECTION

The final version of a FIRST robot does not always resemble

the original plans. In fact, it is actually rare that the final robot

exactly resembles the original design. Changes must be

accommodated as more is learned about physical, material,

feasibility, and programming restraints. A lot of new informa-

tion is gathered throughout the build process, and designs

need to adapt to modifications and changes.

Design changes require the team’s constant attention. Every

member can contribute creative ideas that improve the design.

With the motto “Student Designed, Student Built, Mentor

Approved,” Team

1510 from Beaverton, Oregon, stated their

preference for student participation in the process.

The hands-on experience of building a robot requires that

the students persist through the entire process, including all

changes and modifications that led to the end product.

EVOLUTION

AND

ADAPTABILITY

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TEAM 1510

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Creativity Award

Initial Designs and Initial

Discoveries

Team 1510’s original design for the

robot included standard features found

on many robots: a chassis and drive

train for mobility, a ball gatherer to col-

lect balls off the playing field floor, a tur-

ret-mounted shooting mechanism to

score in the high goal, a hopper to store

balls, and an electronics and control

system to integrate each device. Once

each component had been defined and

planned, prototyping commenced, and

three-dimensional computer models

were created.

The first two mechanisms designed

and constructed were the shooting and

gathering systems, deemed most

important for the robot’s success. When

the final parts of these systems were

dimensioned, the team realized its origi-

nal plans for the ball-storage system

would have to be modified, as the

space for such a component was very

limited. A new system would need to

take up less space, as well as be

simpler and lightweight.

Several ideas were originally consid-

ered to collect the balls off the playing

field floor. Some of the suggested ideas

were a ridged conveyor belt, a front ball

catcher using a wedge ramp, and a

dual conveyor belt to squeeze the balls

from each side. To store the balls,

external baskets, cloth bags, and verti-

cal tubes were proposed.

When they discovered there would

be limited room to incorporate a full-

hopper structure, the team had to

return to the drawing board. A mecha-

nism was needed to unite the ball gath-

erer and the shooter. The physical

restraints of the systems left only 9

inches (22.9 cm) between the ball gath-

erer and the ball shooter. The new col-

lector would have to include the turret-

mounted shooter, be able to load balls

into the shooter, regardless of the posi-

tion of the turret, and not cause the

balls to jam.

Some designs presented for the collection

of balls were a cranberry conveyor belt, a front

ball catcher with a wedge ramp, and a front

ball gatherer.

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Designing a New

Solution

The final composite ball-manipulation

device resulted from a simple re-design

that incorporated all of the newfound

constraints. The resulting ball gatherer

served the dual purpose of gathering

and storing balls. The gatherer was built

to extend nearly the entire allowed width

of the robot, permitting maximum room

for ball storage. A front roller was

designed and machined from

PVC pipe

that pulled balls from the floor onto a

small flexible ramp.

A wide, front gatherer maximized the number

of balls that could be collected off the playing

field floor.

A sketch of the front roller was used to

machine the device out of PVC pipe. The rotation

of this roller pulled balls into the robot with the

help of a small ramp.

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Creativity Award

transported

After exiting the conveyor belt, the balls were guided by a curved fender into a semi-circular bin

which channeled them into the shooting mechanism.

A drawing of the wide conveyor belt that

transported balls to the top of the robot shows

the front roller and ramp at the bottom.

The transported balls were pulled up the

robot and were sandwiched between the moving

conveyor belt and a clear polycarbonate sheet.

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