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2023-2024 FIRST® Tech Challenge Game Manual Part 1 – Traditional Events 

2023-2024 FIRST® Tech Challenge Game Manual Part 2 – Game Specific 

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FTC Design 1

FTC Test Bed

FTC Design

Drivetrain 9/26/23

The battle with the chains during our class was nothing short of an endurance test. The main issue revolved around securing the right measurements and getting the chain links to align perfectly with our robot's drivetrain. It was a painstaking process that seemed to defy simplicity. Throughout the entire class period, we found ourselves grappling with the intricacies of these chains. The struggle was real, extending to the point where we had to dedicate extra time and effort beyond regular class hours. An entire additional hour was spent after school, and yet, despite our relentless efforts, we could only manage to complete half of a side. The sheer complexity and precision required in working with these chains made them a formidable challenge. Each link needed to be meticulously measured, cut, and attached with utmost accuracy to ensure the smooth operation of our robot's drivetrain. Even minor discrepancies in these measurements or alignments could result in significant disruptions and hinder our robot's overall performance. The fact that chains emerged as such a significant hurdle underscored the level of dedication and problem-solving skills required in our robotics project. Despite the struggles we encountered, it served as a valuable learning experience, emphasizing the importance of attention to detail and perseverance in tackling complex engineering tasks.

Drivetrain 9/28/23

Drivetrain 10/2/23

Engineering Notes 10/16/23

Our team engaged in a thorough discussion today with a collective focus on enhancing the efficiency of our robot. The primary issue we've encountered revolved around the performance of the claw, which kept getting stuck. This challenge left me with a sense of limited control over the robot, even when disregarding the existing delay in its actions. Additionally, the weight of the robot posed another concern, especially considering our goal of achieving suspension capabilities for an upcoming meet. The arms of the robot also registered on our radar as particularly heavy components. During our brainstorming session, we explored various ideas aimed at addressing these concerns. One key solution involves the adoption of torque servos for our wrists. This switch would empower us with precise control over the wrist's vertical movement, a significant improvement over the previous setup. Additionally, we considered the implementation of worm gears for the arms. This strategic move would result in stationary arms, eliminating the challenge of continuous movement. Moreover, our plan includes scaling down various components, such as utilizing shorter channels, to effectively reduce the overall weight of the robot. In our quest for enhanced strength and performance, we're contemplating using the motors originally intended for the drive train for our arm as well. This step is crucial to ensure that our arm has the necessary strength for its tasks. We've also opted for a replacement of plastic gears with metal ones, albeit in a slightly smaller size. There's a program tweak on our to-do list as well. We aim to rectify the issue where the program starts when the 'initialize' option is selected, streamlining the operational process. Additionally, we're gearing up to tackle TensorFlow, a valuable skill that we need to incorporate effectively into our project. While addressing these challenges and considering improvements, we can take heart in the successes from our previous competition. Our claw worked flawlessly, and the drone launcher proved to be quite effective. However, during operation, we encountered a delay, particularly when trying to coordinate the movement of the arms and the base simultaneously. It appears that when the arms are in action, the base briefly halts its movement until the arms complete their task. Afterward, the drive train executes the command, leading to an unintended collision with another robot. These discussions and refinements demonstrate our commitment to progress and optimization. By addressing these challenges and implementing our proposed improvements, we're confident that we'll elevate the performance of our robot for future competitions.

Engineering notes DESIGNS

Engineering Notes 10/18/23

Today, our team made significant strides in different areas of our project. Here's how we contributed: I was responsible for integrating the torque servo with our project's wrist. This is a pivotal component that empowers the wrist with the necessary torque to perform its tasks effectively. We have plans to run tests to ensure it operates smoothly before fully incorporating it into our setup. Ava took the lead in organizing and managing our project inventory. This may not always take the spotlight, but it's a vital aspect of our work. Her efforts ensured that everything is systematically arranged and easily accessible, saving us valuable time and making our project development more efficient. Tabii was in charge of the drive train, the powerhouse of our project. This system encompasses essential components like motors, gears, and wheels. We did encounter a challenge when one of the motors was found to be non-operational. We're currently addressing this issue and working towards a solution for our next class period. Each of these contributions plays a significant role in advancing our project, and our collaborative approach ensures that we overcome any challenges that arise.

Today, our main focus revolved around the completion of our drive train and wrist components. The drive train's core design remains in line with its prior iteration, with a significant alteration — a noteworthy reduction in size. This change is motivated by the expectation that this downsizing will enhance the project's capacity for suspension-related functions. We're eagerly awaiting the delivery of the metal gears. Their arrival might necessitate further adjustments to optimize our project's performance. To enhance our drive train's functionality, we've introduced a small-to-large gear ratio configuration, aimed at augmenting torque. Concurrently, for the wrist component, we've incorporated a torque servo. Although with some reservations about its ability to meet the expectations placed upon it. During the course of our work, several pertinent issues and questions have come to the forefront. Foremost among them is a malfunctioning motor associated with the right wheel, demanding our immediate attention. Furthermore, we're looking forward to Mr. Newman gaining proficiency in TensorFlow programming, a skill essential for effective guidance and instruction. The question of balance remains paramount. It's imperative to ensure that our drive train maintains equilibrium during operation and steers clear of tilting tendencies. This calls for meticulous calibration and fine-tuning. The decision to remove the expansion hub is a substantial one. This prompts contemplation regarding potential delays or complications in the project's performance in light of its absence. Lastly, the ever-ticking clock prompts us to evaluate the available time for practice in project operation and the demanding programming tasks ahead. Effective time management is central to the project's ultimate success.

Engineering notes INTAKE

Engineering Notes 10/24/23

During our recent class, we made progress with our design by integrating metal gears. However, a significant challenge has emerged due to a substantial weight disparity between the arm and the base of our project. This weight imbalance has resulted in difficulties in achieving stability, especially when the arm is in motion. It's worth noting that this situation aligns with the thesis I initially proposed, which predicted the potential for severe balance issues. In our pursuit of solutions, one consideration is reverting to our previous drive train design. While this might address the balance problem, it would introduce a new challenge – the inability to suspend. This presents us with a dilemma as we need to balance both stability and functionality. 

In an effort to resolve the issue of having a delay while driving and the weight of our arm, I sought advice from a former colleague who suggested a potential strategy. This involves, reducing the weight of our claw and separating the components for the arm onto an expansion hub while keeping the drive train on the control hub. The intention behind this approach is to potentially mitigate the delays we've been experiencing and put less weight on our motors. However, this also comes with the realization that time is running short, and we still have the substantial task of programming our autonomous functions ahead of us. This situation adds a layer of urgency to our project as we navigate these complex design and programming challenges.

Engineering notes ARM

Engineering notes DRIVETRAIN SIZED DOWN

Engineering Notes 10/26/23

Engineering notes 10/30/23

Engineering Notes 11/1/23

During class today, I tackled several important tasks. For instance, I discovered a crucial issue - the absence of a delay. Following Mr. Newman's advice, I promptly removed the expansion hub, which seemed to resolve the problem. My exploration led me to the fascinating world of encoders. While researching this topic, I stumbled upon a valuable resource linked to the encoders subheading, providing significant assistance in my quest for understanding. I initiated work on the encoder program, but an unfortunate incident occurred when I accidentally logged out without saving the code. Fortunately, we hadn't made significant progress, so it was a minor setback. In my pursuit of efficiency and optimization, I decided to disassemble our claws. The goal was twofold: to reset them to their initial positions and configure the servos back onto the control hub. This process required careful labeling, leaving cable organizing towards the end in case of any last-minute adjustments that might be necessary. Looking forward to our next class, my primary goal is to complete the encoder program. This achievement will allow us to test its functionality. The next milestone on my agenda is the autonomous program. Given my experience in programming, I plan to tackle this task independently, allowing the rest of the team to focus on our website and design drawings. In conclusion, each day in the robotics lab provides a unique opportunity for learning and growth. I'm excited to be at the forefront of programming, guiding our team toward success in this exciting endeavor. 

Game Plan

Engineering Notes 11/6/23

In class today, our team realized that the original drivetrain was the best option. It was a last-minute decision, so we took apart the base and rebuilt the original one. I worked on a plan for both autonomous and driver control, and Ava created some design drawings. 

The next day during my visit to the robotics lab, I noticed an issue with the right wheel – it seemed to spin on place due to unbalanced weight. To fix it, we added a temporary motor at the back. Our plan is to remove the chains and directly connect the motors to the front wheels to balance the weight and improve control. 

I also adjusted the arm shaft by lowering it by one notch to get under some obstacles. However, we're still facing a problem with the wrist occasionally stopping when moving down but working fine when going up. 

Our goal for the next class is to move the motors to the front without the chains so that Mr. Newman can assist with programming.

Engineering Notes 11/8/23

Engineering Notes 11/10/23

First Meet

Placed 14th out of 22 

What went wrong- 

our autonomous program didn't drop the pixels on the backdrop 

our robot struggles driving with the wrist down 

Arms are too fast 

pixels fell every time we placed more on the backdrop 

What went right-

We were able to pick the pixels up and place them on the backdrop effectively 

we had an autonomous for the red side 

we discussed strategies with alliances to maximize our points.

Engineering Notes 11/14/23

Engineering Notes 11/27/23

Engineering Notes 11/29/23

Engineering Notes 12/7/23

Today in class I found the parts we want for our robot so we can suspend. It's a linear actuator from go bilda and can support a lot of weight, 50 pounds. and I worked with Tabii on where we can mount them. We decided that it should be closest to where all the weight is, so right next to the arm. 

Engineering Notes 12/11/23

Engineering Notes 12/15/23

In class today, since we had the linear actuators built. we worked on making the mount for the arm and proceeded to attach it. now we need to figure out where to mount it because if thee arm extends out into the opposite direction it messes with the weight of the robot when driving which then messes with how much traction we have because of how distorted the weight is. i believe it is something we will have to figure out once we have a functioning arm. maybe we could have it in the middle, but then it might exceed to size limit. and if we have it further back the arm might not reach the backdrop.

Engineering Notes 1/10/24

In class the day before competition everything was hectic we had removed the wrist off the arm so we had to put it back together and we got some paper airplanes put together. did some packing and made sure we had everything we needed 

Engineering Notebook 1/25/24

Unfortunately, the week before the competition, I got sick, and it wasn't until the 19th that I could return to school to finalize preparations for the competition the next day. Amidst the chaos of the competition, grappling with programming issues, we closely examined the challenges at hand. The first hurdle we identified was our arm's inability to reach the backdrop adequately. It barely touched the backdrop when attempting to place pixels and only reached the very bottom. Mr. Newman and Robert, a visiting mentor, suggested a solution: having the arm move backward to provide more clearance for pixel drops. However, this required adjustments to the extrusion lengths on our claw to reach higher on the backdrop. Additionally, we needed to lengthen the extrusion for the entire arm to extend its reach. Another challenge emerged concerning the need for encoders. To prevent the arm from falling due to gravity when reaching the necessary angle for pixel drops, we required encoders. However, the Spark Mini used for the arm lacked a port for encoders. To address this, we contemplated reconfiguring and reprogramming to switch one of the regular cords for the lifters to the Spark Mini, creating a port for the encoders. Further complicating matters, we discovered that the port on the control hub to which the lifters were connected malfunctioned, causing the lifter to retract and rise at different speeds. Attempting to troubleshoot, we disassembled the motor, suspecting issues with gears or the motor itself, only to realize it was the port on the control hub. The solution to this problem remains uncertain. Additionally, we identified an issue with our power switch. Despite my attempt to solder it back together after it broke off, it continued to lose contact. A replacement switch seemed necessary to address this recurring problem.

Engineering Notes 1/29/24

In class, we realized that the port we had a linear actuator connected to was giving us issues, so maybe one of the terminals was not working correctly. we're not completely sure. So we decided to add a different control hub but by doing that we also had to reconfigure all our motors and servos, along with renaming it and changing the WiFi password. then we also had to transport all our files onto the new one, one by one, since it did not let us select all of them. we also had to make sure that when we were configuring our motors, that they had the exact name they did as the last ones so the program would continue to run. after double-checking all that we kept getting error messages on our wrist, and then we realized it was because we did not configure it as a continuous rotation servo. 

 Engineering Notes 2/6/24

Today in class i worked on an autonomous program for the left blue side of the field. we still plan on using object recognition but since Rachel is not here to teach me how to train it, i decided to do the basic code we would insert into the program once it recognizes the pixel so that on Thursday when she gets here, we can just add the ones i have already done. in this program the robot drives forward to the middle designated spot for the pixel then it opens the right claw. what were fixing to add is... it will then rotate back 90 degrees, lift the arm back, lift the wrist and deliver the other yellow pixel to the designated spot on the backdrop.

Robot Deconstruction