http://www.team841.com/index.htmlHot Updates!enluciano841@hotmail.comCopyright 2011 Team 8412011-01-08T12:14:00-08:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Thu, 27 Jan 2011 03:51:46 -0800luciano841@hotmail.comNone2011-01-08T12:14:00-08:00http://www.team841.com/blog/files/310360b482291368e068b7258a45e24d-2.html#unique-entry-id-2http://www.team841.com/blog/files/310360b482291368e068b7258a45e24d-2.html#unique-entry-id-2
]]>luciano841@hotmail.comNews2011-01-23T12:43:36-08:00http://www.team841.com/blog/files/Special%20Guest.html#unique-entry-id-1http://www.team841.com/blog/files/Special%20Guest.html#unique-entry-id-1During the school’s morning announcements our students heard mandatory robotics meeting. Every robotics meeting is of course mandatory but if there is an announcement the students know I mean business. Little did they know that I had a secret for our team. This saturday we would have a special visiter stopping by to meet the group.

Who could it be? None other then Grant Imahara from MythBusters.



Explaining to Grant what our mini-bot design is going to do.


Showing off our electronics skills.


Group photo

To see more images of this day, click here.
]]>luciano841@hotmail.comNews2011-01-19T19:21:00-08:00http://www.team841.com/blog/files/2011%20Team%20Update%201.html#unique-entry-id-0http://www.team841.com/blog/files/2011%20Team%20Update%201.html#unique-entry-id-0Hey Everyone,

We are in build season once again and here is an update to show what our students are currently working in Richmond High Schools robotics program(with images).

Progress as of today. The kids are working on several things this week; gripper , elevator, mini-bot, mini-bot deployment and drivetrain.
 All groups are at the stage of prototyping. 




DESIGN & GRIPPER: 

At this point into our build session we have finalized the design or better yet locked the design. One reason is the students decided to changed the gripper design again. In order to avoid further changing, I asked them to select a design and stick with it. I gave them some time to consider what they wanted to do with Cassandra leading the discussion. (see deciding.jpg) They decide to go with the 90 degree arm that comes out of the elevator. I told them there task was to come up with a prototype that illustrates how it is suppose to function by the end of the day. They built it out of vex parts and add a pneumatic cylinder to illustrate how it was going to work.




DRIVETRAIN & CHASSIS:

The students assembled the chassis that came in the kit and came to the conclusion. They want to create their own. As quoted by Cassandra & Memo, they want a challenge and it seems like it could be fun.They did research on drivetrains and they want to create a chassis out of 2x1 tubing with the following dimensions 36"x26".They want six wheels that are four inch diameter performance wheels from AndyMark.com with rough-top. They don't want to order the AndyMark rough-top because of its color (orange-brown?) and are wondering if we can get rough-top in black.



They want the chassis close to the ground to stabilize the elevator, one of the reasons for the small wheels. They came up with the design and a possible way of connecting the drive train. The chassis they were inspired by was from team221.( http://www.team221.com/viewproduct.php?id=35 ) Mainly because the drivetrain is built by bolting everything together. Team221 sells a drivetrain but the students want to build it themselves. The parts they feel they will have trouble with creating and are seeking assistance from the mentors are the adapters to connect the tubing together. I provided images that show the black anodized aluminum adapters. They want to take a similar approach to the ones in the images.



In the mean time, they have been instructed to continue building the current drivetrain.
John is currently working on the assembly to get it up and running. He is eager to program and is in the process of trying to assemble the electronics as well. John is taking the lead and is training rookie member, Ben in the process.

MINI-BOT & DEPLOYMENT:
 They come up with a design but have not started prototyping. No images of this design yet.

ELEVATOR:
Construction of a working prototype is in the process. Slowly moving along as parts are decided. No images of this yet. Those familiar with our 2005 robot will find a similarity in design.

The goals for the students this week is to have prototypes for our mechanisms finished and to have a working drivetrain to allow our drivers to practice.

End of update.

- Luciano Del Rio
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