wookie

Our robot named Wookie

Fun

  • We loved designing and redesigning our robot, attachments, and tools.
  • It‛s fun to solve problems involving the robot.

Strategy

  • We made a chart of all the missions comparing points and difficulty level including how far from base it was.
  • Then we picked missions we thought we could do and mapped them out by where they are on the board.

Mechanical Design Elements

  • Clearance

On one of the first missions that we have we run over the safety guard. This mission require a bit of clearance. This also helps with other missions plus it will not get caught as easily on small ground obstacles or obstructions. Another thought we had in mind when we had just ideas of what the models do. We had also planned to go over the ramp that you put milk on but that changed after the mission release

  • The Wrap

The wrap on our robot is the outer frame of our robot. The wrap helps square up on walls flat and run against a wall smoothly. A partial reason to this is because there are small wheels on the wrap so it does not get caught which was a problem last year.  Our wrap is tight and compact and has nothing sticking out of our robot. Our team got the idea to wrap our robot at the FLL Razorback Invitational in Arkansas. A lot of teams had a tight and compact robot. That is also where we got our DOA idea.  

  • Drop on Attachment (DOA)

We use a DOA or drop on attachment design. The DOA helps us with quick transitions during the robot game. Our robot has a universal design that allows us to drop on our attachment and perform our selected task.   

  • Gear ratios
    • A big gear in front a little gear increases speed
    • A little gear in front of a big gear increases torque
  • Motors
    • Medium motor for power take off and speed
    • Large motor for more force and torque
  • Programming efficiency
    • Each block has one duty
      • It doesn’t have to be complicated
      • Each block fulfills its duty
    • Try use move tanks  as much as possible
      • More accurate and easier
  • Mission Strategy
    • We conserve our attachments and time
      • We used our attachments more than once and that conserved time
    • Made a layout and checklist
      • More time efficient we can calculate what missions we would like to do based on point values
    • Grouped together missions and runs
      • So we didn’t have to go all around the board
    • Score the most points in the easiest way possible organizationally.
  • Innovation
    • Hoekens Linkage!!!
      • A linkage of joints to make a oval shape goes down and around and up
    • DOA/PTO
      • Provides power from the main robot and meshes with gears from the attachment providing power
      • Power Takeoff
    • Flat sides and compact bot
    • Weight bricks
      • Counter weight used to make robot balanced
    • Big wheels
      • We can go farther with less rotations makes programming easier, makes center of mass higher, can go faster
    • 4 sensors
      • Ultrasonic
      • Color
      • Gyro