BCR starts the system engineering process.
Simulating the game outside Building S.
The page documents the 2010 FRC build a season in chronological order, from the kickoff to post-ship activities.
Simulating the game outside Building S.
The students work on a wooden prototype of a 4-bar linkage kicker.
Working on a linear kicker prototype with LEGO League students in the background.
A ball control roller prototype is mounted to our 2006 robot.
The bumper is mounted above and a ball blocker below the roller prototype.
Students making progress on the 4-bar linkage prototype.
Getting the kicker prototype ready for testing.
Testing the kicker prototype and pondering the roller prototype.
Evaluating a vacuum ball handler prototype.
Our robot this year will have a six seven-inch wheels (west coast drive) driven by two CIM motors on a side with pneumatic shifters (two speed). We will use a four-bar linkage kicker driven by a motor-winch and a sticky roller ball handler. We do not plan at this time to have a winch and hook arm for climbing the tower, but may add this feature if time allows.
Ball handler prototype roller testing continues by Alex, Chris, Abby, and Forrest.
Jen and Karen assemble a gearbox cannibalized from our 2008 San Diego Champion Robot.
Mentor Ken Sterk lends a hand in assembling the gearbox.
Abby and Karen take the Autodesk Inventor CAD turorial while mentor Rick Sharp, team
captain Ryan Sharp, and mentor Dave Ansari work on a CAD model of the drive base.
Continuing the tutorial while mentor Peter Johnson examines software.
Dinner is served nightly during the build season. We thank our sponsors who provide meals.
Mark Edmonds (left) and I pick up wheels produced by the apprentices in Mechanical Manufacturing at
Northrop Grumman, which has a long history of support to Beach Cities Robotics.
Students are very glad to receive their parts from Northrop Grumman.
Pass the machine oil.
Bright new parts are beautiful.
Parent mentor Rick Sharp watches as Abby and Jen use the mill at the Robotics Lab, donated by
Northrop Grumman.
Team members using the mill.
Anton and Jen assemble the robot drive base.
The team with two partially assembled robot bases.
The assembly is going well. This will be the first time that BCR has been able to build
two robots, one to ship and one with which to practice.
Parent mentor Cindy Sharp helps Abby cut a pool noodle for a bumper cushion.
Working on the robot in week six.
LA Regional Competition flyer (PDF).
The first robot bumper is completed by the proud bumper team. We will have
eight bumpers altogether, four red and four blue, for alliance identification.
On Monday, February 15, a school holiday, the team demonstrated FRC, FTC, VEX,
and Lego robots at Northrop Grumman's S-Patio as part of Engineering Week (E-Week).
David (left) is at the table with the FIRST Lego League (FLL) robot while the high
school students demonstrate our award winning VEX robot.
Karen, Nighelles, Alec, Sebastian, and team captain Ryan with the VEX and FTC robots.
We demonstrated last year's robot for the 2009 Lunacy FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC).
Alec and Daniel help to wire the practice robot.
Ryan had arranged for the blue and orange anodizing of our aluminum robot parts.
The blue looks good!
Orange wheels and sprockets really set off the blue frame parts.
The competition robot is coming together.
Ricky, Matt, Finton, Alex, Alec, Ryan, Anton, and Karen are proud of their work.
Alec and Anton show that there's more to teamwork than just work.
Getting the crate ready for the robot.
Wrapping the crate in plastic stretch wrap for rain protection.
Done!
Out the door of the Robotics Lab.
Onto the FedEx truck.
The team practices with the practice robot after the competition robot is shipped.