2016 Week 3: Build Journal

As we close out the first half of build season, we come closer to our final design. Prototyping is almost finished for the main systems. Meanwhile, various groups for smaller subsystems are working feverishly. Small adjustments are all that’s left to do on the intake and shooter. The CAD team is finished with our drivetrain and we have begun to mill the parts.

For the past week, we have been prototyping and developing a multitude of devices to get through the defences, trying to combine multiple subsystems into one to save space and weight. Plans have changed several times to make the intake work.

We have a mostly finished prototype that our driver is currently testing. So far we have been successful in crossing the different terrain types. Still up, getting through the doors and gates. Once we have a successful prototype which can do that we will have a finished prototype robot.

We have had a few minor setbacks, including a blizzard, but that has not slowed down our progress. Thanks to GrabCad, our team was able to work in and out of our Tech Lab. The CAD is nearly complete and our team is running the mill whenever possible in this race against the clock. Once the frame is milled and assembled we can work towards adding subsystems to our robot. With the team entering the second half of build season we can only guess what will happen. Hopefully week 4 can as productive as the previous weeks have been.