2015 FRC Build Season

FRC Kickoff

Saturday, January 3rd, we got up at 4:00 AM to go to the FRC Kickoff at McKinley High School by 5:00 AM. The game is Recycle Rush and the password to unlock the encrypted game manuals is R3C3CL3RU$H2015.


The audience as the kickoff gets started.


Checking out the kit of parts. Photo by Andrea.


After the kickoff video. We have a good sized team this year.


After the birthday party we went to the robotics lab where I led the session on systems engineering. Photo by Andrea.


We did a human robot simulation out in the parking lot. Photo by Andrea.

Week One

Sunday, January 4rd, we went to Kalani High School to continue the systems engineering approach we began the day before.


Darius, the team captain, led today's session.


Presenting a omni-drive design for the drive base.


We discussed design ideas for the grasper, lifter, and drive base. We began prototyping the mechanisms.


Later on Sunday the team published this photo on Facebook with the caption "Feels like Christmas again!
Photo by Kalani Robotics.


Monday I attended in the morning and discussed autonomy with the students.


Tueday morning status meeting.


Building a wooden prototype of the drive base for the programming team to test. We're using a holonomic drive this year.


Testing the claw prototype on Thursday morning.

Week Two

Monday evening, January 12th, Andrea and I went in to robotics for the start of week two.


Talking to Peter's Dad. Photo by Andrea.


The team is very productive this year.


Lots going on. They have a software testbed and are building a drive base prototype. Photo by Andrea.


Andrea and I went to the robotics lab and dropped off some framed signed prints as donations for the fundraiser.
One of the prints was a 1972 Margaret Keane, Princess of the East, that we received as a wedding present in 1981.


Dinner time at the robotics lab.


A full prototype in week two! Photo by Kalani Robotics.


The first frame piece has been fabricated. Photo by Kalani Robotics.


Saturday morning I went in to the robotics lab for an hour. They are fabricating robot parts at the end of week two.

Week Five

The build season entered its fifth week on Sunday, February 1st.


On Monday evening I showed Kevin and Darius how to do a wheel force calculation for the Mechanum drive. Click the image
for the full resolution image (scanned at 200 DPI).


Robot.


The team is excited Wednesday evening.


Darius leads the status meeting. It's good to see so many girls on the team.


I showed Cammy and Kevin how to do a force margin calculation for the lift mechanism.


We have a robot! Only one more week to go before we have to ship it to Australia for the first FRC competition.


Installing the main electrical board. Notice the Mechanum wheels for holonomic drive.

Kalani Robotics Build Season Week Six

We are in the sixth and final week of the FRC robot build period.


On Monday the 9th Andrea and I attended the evening's activities.


Testing the robot. Photo by Andrea.


Thursday evening I went to Kalani High School for the robotics build.


They were testing and improving the lift.


We have a nice looking robot.

Science Fair at KCC


On Saturday, Valentine's Day, I dropped Andrea off at KCC to help Kalani Robotics at the Science Fair. Photo by Andrea.


It became stormy after a while. Photo by Andrea.


They moved indoors out of the rain. Photo by Andrea.


They were packing up the trailer when I arrived to pick up Andrea at 1:00 PM (six hours later).

Email Richard dot J dot Wagner at gmail dot com

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Last updated March 31, 2015, by Rick Wagner. Copyright © 2015, all rights reserved.