Team 237 2008 Build Season Week 4

---

02/02/08 Week 4 Day 6  Another Saturday build session.  The electronics team is busy making sure the electronics are mounted and they work.

---

02/01/08 Week 4 Day 5  The robot can only weigh 120 lbs,so a lot of compromises have to be made.   The materials we use must be light, rigid and easy to work with.  The electronics are mounted on a fiberglass honeycomb board that meets our specifications.  Anywhere we can save a few ounces, it makes a difference.

---

01/31/08 Week 4 Day 4 Very good day in the shop.  More parts have been cut and the robot base is getting to look like it will work.

 

There are lots of other support jobs that take place during build.  We need a cart to move the robot from the pits to the playing field.   When the robot its in the pit, it sits on the cartup high enough to work on.  The cart has to be redesigned each year due to the redesign of the robot.   We are a lot taller in starting configuration this year, so we have to lower the cart stand.  There also need to be space on the cart for tools, batteries and the control box.

---

01/30/08 Week 4 Day 3 More parts are coming in.  We bought special wheels from Andy Mark for the front of the robot called Coolie Dualie Wheels.  As you saw in the video, they allow the front of the robot to turn like crazy.  Using trick wheels is a new direction for us.  Thanks to Andymark for having cool wheels.

Leo and Tom are prepping the base.  They are setting the rail spacing and mounting the electronics deep inside the base.  We have learned the hard way to bury the electronics deep inside the frame.

---

01/29/08 Week 4 Day 2 Now that the base is running, there is a fever to get the other parts done.   Lots of activity.   Different manufacturing tracks coming together.  Students are all keeping focused and on task.   We are less behind than where we would like to be, but making up ground quickly.

The mast will fun on the rail unit that you see in the picture.  The mast will be all the way back for stability when lifting and all the way to the front to pick up the ball.   At least that's the theory.   The electronics will be mounted very low and protected by the mast assembly.

---

01/28/08 Week 4 Day 1   It's Alive!!!!!!!!!!

It's on the ground and running.  WOW... What a feeling that is every year.  It is amazing to watch the new students seeing their first robot running.  It's ugly as sin, but is beautiful to watch.   Now the electrical team has something to work with.  They will be programming the controls and building a permanent board to go ion the finished robot.  The mechanical team can concentrate on the mast and the gripper.   

---