Blog 2008
Hey welcome to the FLASH Power Blog. As this is our first year in the FIRST Program, we are not experts in the subject, but we are very good at making our own parts, and helping out other teams. If you need a replacement, or need a custom part made, we will see if we can get it for you, but we may not have what you're looking for.
Journal 1-We have our parts, and are contemplating what all we ned to do. We have an idea that since it is our first year, we will go simple, you know, like just make it drive around the track and push the ball.
Journal 2-The Team wants to get the chassis together, but our power tools leader is not here today, so we just have to wait.
Journal 3-We have just cut our chassis to size, and have assembled it to par. We have split into different teams;programmers, electronics, pneumatics, mechanics. The pneumatics team is off to the side of the rest, thinking about what they should do. They have come up with an idea on a gripper to pick up the ball, and move it around.
Journal 4-Gear boxes have been assembled, and we are trying to figure out what type of wheels to do. We go out and buy some lawn mower wheels from Northern Tool and Equipment. After getting back to the team, we figure out that the wheels provided to us are made to mount right to the gearbox, and the sprockets provided. We decide to return the wheels, and continue planning how to mount the gearboxes.
Journal 5-We have aquired Tomson Shaft rods, and are going to use pressure plates to mount the rear wheels. We try to mount the gearboxes, and all attempts have failed. We go online and look for help, and find a diagram showing a plate that we didn't know what to do with. We mount the gearboxes the correct way, and cut the chain to size. The drive wheels work, if directly connected.
Journal 6-We have found extra Bimba pistons that Reell is getting rid of, and replacing those with our previous idea to just push the ball around. The pneumatics team then gets an idea to mount two pistons to the front of the robot to push the ball in at the last second. We start making a big claw that will push the ball, and we try to setup our pneumatics system. We get the arm to extend, but we have not been able to bring them back with the push of a button.
Journal 7-The pneumatics team has run out of ideas until they can go shopping for prototype parts from Winnick Supply. So they decide to augment the claw, and add more face area. As well to that the proggramming team hasn't shown up to any of the last few meetings. Not much has been planned for programming yet.
Journal 8-We have all split up and gone shopping for parts for each of the teams needs. Everyone comes back to base, and gets right back to work. Plans for the front wheel steering are underway. One team member, a basic go-to guy, is dfesigning a website to market off our bot. As well, we are planning a logo, looking for ways to advertise, and trying to make a theme song. This same day, we are delighted to know that we will be nterviewed by a reporter of the Forest Lake Press. Undergoing a grueling set of questions, he is soon off to wrte the story of the week.
Journal 9-Someone from the programming team has come up with our new theme song, as well as starting to create the remote steering system. We have connected the gearboxes to the rear wheels, and mounted the front wheels. The team wants to try out the drivability, so makes three wires, one connects to each terminal of the battery, while others connect to the respective gearbox. Problems with the gearbox soon arise as we find that one of the gearboxes drives backwards. A simple fix by just a switch of the polarity. Soon they are off and driving around the area.
Journal 10-Remote steering still underway, but the pneumatics team is still out of ideas. They start to make a two knifeswitch control system. Too many wires sprawled on the ground make connection difficult, but it is soon done. Troubles still as it is hard to hold the steering, as well as using two hands to control the switches. to have a little fun, the driver sits on top of the robot and controls it from there. It goes faster with the extra weight, and faster still once on carpet. Plans to tread the tires start. At the end of the day, the remote driving system is complete, and ready to test. It is soon connected, and we are underway, but a new problem arises. The programmer acciddentally mixes up the axis, and the joystick has to be held sideways to accuratly control the bot. At the same time, the marketing crew is designing tshirts, and busoiness cards, as well as other ways of advertising. The newspaper artical appears in the Forest Lake Press, and all are proud, but how many peope have we swayed?
Journal 11-Trying to drive in reverse is going to be a problem, the way the wheels are mounted in front don't give much clearance. The pneumatics team once again snaps into action. They start to create a steering system with a servo and a threaded shaft. But after direct consideration, they decide to keep the steering system for spare, just incase something happens. Also, the pneumatics team is trying to figure out a way to lift the ball, and launch it. This is becomeing a bigger project than expected. they order the three free pistons from Bimba, and now all they have to do is wait. The mechanics team comes up with an idea. Pick up the ball, and put it into a funnel shaped launcher. Then build up pressuer and fire it over the overpass. With problems of size requirements, the plan is soon dead. But the pnuematics team comes up with an idea: mount one of the pistons to a telescoping tower, and use it to knock balls off the overpass. Plans are prepared as they wait for the pistons to arrive by mail. The bumpers have been created, and are able to be mounted.
Journal 12-Pneumatics team is again out of ideas, so they decide to make a helmet for the mascot. But, nothing can be done today, as the tools leader has gone missing. So they turn to figuring out a way to mount the radio control stuff. As they start to unpack the robot controller receiver, they discover the antenna to be broken, easily fixed with a bit of electrical tape, but what if a problem is to arise? Radio control testing continues, as the programmer of the joysticks has not shown up. Sideways controls are still active. Mechanics team has created roll bars to protect the robot from falling balls and other hazards. Still working of an outer shell/skin for the robot.
Journal 13-Trying to finish up before the ship date. In order to fit all the electronics and pneumatics, the electronics team starts to rebuild the mounting deck. They assemble the fuse boxes, and begin mounting all the guts back on. Along with that, the wonky joystick has supposedly been "fixed." Trial runs will begin shortly, and we are a little slow on getting stuff done. The crate has just been thought of to be started, but nothing has been assembled yet. Our pneumatic pistons are slow to getting here, and we are trying to order more from another company. All the while, a new program is being created to support the pneumatics.
Journal 14-The pneumatics team got the pistons ordered, and they should arrive tommorow. Next on the ordering list is to get team safety glasses. Programming is soming along, but not close to complete yet. As well, they mounted the joysticks and OI to a plywood board, and programmed the output frequency to 2532!!!!!!! Go FLASH Power!!!!! Next up, the pneumatics team is trying to add the steering system, but a few problems arise. The motor turns the wheels too slowly, so we may just scrap the whole idea. But to replace it, we may add a piston for the steering. Program it to charge with a certain amount of air to go straight, then either suck out air, or blow more air in to turn. Also, the crate is just starting, but not yet. Need for the pallet is very high, but it will arrive soon, hopefully. Advertising team starts to look for an adult sized FLASH costume, and finds one, but has not purchased it yet. The ram mount needs to be redrilled, and recut, because it was crooked the first time we tried to mount it. Pneumatics have been put on hold until the pistons arrive, and once they do, the ram will be mounted the next day, then we will setup the tubing, and finally program it in so we got it going. Height is not much of an option though.
Journal 15-We have finally received our pistons, five of them, and are starting to mount the verticle one. We are redoing the ram by mounting it on the sides instead of in the middle. The crate will be started tommorow, and the pallet has come as well. Pneumatics and electronics teams are figuring out how to run and program the ram and steering to work with the speed we need.
Journal 16-Friday....no school.....two people come in.....work like crazy. Cramming weekend has arrived. The team is trying to finish up any aspect of the robot not yet complete. But today, only two people arrived. Not saying thats a bad thing, but it is a moderatly good thing. Not too many hands around the robot, nobody running off with it to test it, we got a lot more done today than we would have with more people. The pneumatic ram has been scrapped, and the verticle ram has been rebuilt, and works great. The programming team is looking for this so called "default code" that should have everything we need to control a piston. No such luck finding it yet. The front wheel steering is almost complete. The pneumatic and electronic steering ideas are thrown away, and we are perfecting a spring mechanism for auto centering. The prototype works better than imagined, but even still, reverse is not perfect. Plans to remount the 4 foot piston have been completed, but will not be finished and mounted until monday. We are also working on moving around our electronics to make room for our pneumatic system.
Journal 17-The two that were there yesterday have returned, but with more ideas. Again, no one else has come, but they will monday, or there will be conciquences. The main programmer is working on making permanent wiring to connect the pneumatics system to the robot, and finding out how to mount everything with the limited space we have. We have practice mounted the pneumatic ram, and programmed the triggers to control it. What's left to program is making a button that turns the air compressor on and off to save energy. The front wheels now have a permanant auto centering system of springs that work perfectly. One problem with it is that if you jack-knife in reverse, they will pop off the wheels but stay on the frame. Just a minor problem not to be worried about. Also, the programming team found the "default code" but it is in a different coding than easy c, so we will try to translate it into easy c. As well with that, we are making a list of materials to buy on monday to make our crate. And we are starting to make our pricing lists of all the donations and extra parts mounted to the robot.
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Last Updated May 13, 2008
Web Page by Eric Snidarich
(flashpowercontact@yahoo.com)