2016Lessons

=2016 Summer Off Season=

July 15/16 BeachBots Tournament :: Gulfport, MS.
Practice Schedule - 6/13 Monday 1-7pm* 6/14 Tuesday 1-7pm* 6/15 Wednesday 1-7pm* Robot shooter should be fully functional with all programming and mechanical issues resolved.
 * end time will vary with progress

Times to be announced. July 11 July 12 July 13 July 14

All Girls Training / Robot Drive Session - date to be determined

Projects / Training
New students can come to summer project sessions -- veteran team members will be organizing training sessions for the Fall and can try out their ideas on the new students who also get a head start.

Starry Knight Robot - last year's competition robot needs to be prepared for off-season competition events. It will have a 6 wheel drive train where the center wheel is at least 1/4-inch lower than the front or back wheels. A new one-piece shooter will be installed that will have a hard connection to the center cross bar. All electronics will be redone to include moving speed controllers, the radio, and redoing wiring with labels. A working scaler will be installed with a release mechanism that is not the same as the defense arm. Retriever may be redesigned to be smaller.

WestRock Robot - last year's practice robot will be retrofitted to work with tread. Eight metal plates need to be designed that will keep the tread from coming off the sprockets when turning. Electronics will be redone as with Starry Knight. A retriever will be added. A shooter will be added if weight allows.

GoKart - Need to design a top frame that includes a seat interface to the main chassis. Install 4 transmissions for the 4 mecanum wheels. Prepare chassis for painting. Design an electronics board that can also be used for training.

Pit Tool Box Back - make a back board that attaches to the pit tool box that would include a peg board to hang tools.

Custom Robot Cart

Battery Charging station

Electronics Test Bed

Swerve

Programming - major drive trains, mechanisms, vision tracking, vision encoding, sensors, encoders, pneumatics

CLASSES AutoCAD Drafting Tools Welding Electrical FTC Programming

POTENTIAL BUSINESS TRAINING PROJECTS: Graphics: - pit signs: robot design/engineering, workforce development/alumni, outreach - WCSP sign - alliance flag (see FTC for requirements - use 2016 alliances to make samples) - core values posters

Writing/Communication: - Engineering notebook (see FTC for requirements - use 2016 robot to complete) - sample Chairman essay - brochure for potential sponsors, letter for potential sponsors - rewrites of webpages - petition letters/letters to the editor/etc. - blog article

Digital Media: - Intro/Outro for vlog - Vlog entry - Redesign for website pages - photos of offseason (publish to CSP Members group on Facebook) - make season compilation video

Outreach: - flyers for demos - plan and design for outreach swag (activity book, button, flyers, etc) - Comm plan for outreach events - include 2015, 2016 robots and go-cart - FLL training plan - FTC training plan - demo imagery objects (design & make) -- i.e., backdrops, signs, etc. - pit redesign/make the objects (i.e., to hang the banners)

=Lessons Learned=

**Engineering** Two robots are critical to tournament success - need to be complete robots. Should have finished second shooter. More welding sooner - make prototype chassis in Week 1 out of Aluminum tube Prototypes, both chassis and mechanisms were disjointed and not organized with purpose or direction - plan on mechanisms with chassis Software - work out vision, encoders, smart dashboard over the summer with 4 programmers Design freeze for each competition at last open bag - minimize changes at competition, straight to inspection and practice field + practice rounds = more wins

Student Team
Give assessment of performance, contributions, attitudes and assets. More discipline with tools, cleaning space Less social time, more robot time - reward proactive actions Cell phones in tray by door IPT accountability - replace leads who can not make deadlines or communicate issues Meet with all prospective parents (REQUIRED) to explain varsity academic team expectations Meet with all parents of leads to explain balance of time, expectations, and establish communication

Outreach
Establish Fall plan, implement in the Fall, done by December Create work breakdown structure for business/outreach See preliminary plan - http://columbusrobotics.wikispaces.com/2016-2017+Teams

Offseason
Need to re-organize the space. Finish GoKart (paint) with Mecannum wheels - add RoboRio, electronics, seat + support, Recruit students for Fall and Summer training in May - training in AutoCAD, Programming sessions, Welding, Business (video, animation, FLL training) Enter 2 robots in 2 off-season events: Make second shooter Tread on Robot-2 Add Encoders to shooter and drive wheels Make middle wheel lower by 1/4 inch (true 6 wheel drive)

=PreSeason IPTs=

Bumpers http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=148363

Electrical Programming AutoCAD Systems Design Strategy Multimedia FLL Mentoring Drive Team Build Space Management Destination Einstein

=Summer Training= Friday, 5/13: End of year + Pre-2017 meeting Monday/Tuesday 5/16,17: Robot Demos/Driving in front of lunchroom Tuesday 5/17 Recruitment meeting, Marshall Middle School 4:30-6pm (Robot Planning, Build Space Prep) Wednesday 5/18 In-class work sessions, Marshall Middle School 4-6:30pm Thursday 5/19 In-class work sessions

Monday 5/23 1-3pm Pre-FLL training meeting (set up for Teacher Recruitment) Thursday 5/26 2-4pm, MMS Robotics Teachers Recruitment