Building

Process

Building should always begin with brainstorming MANY different options, discussing which one to pursue, then drawing it out to see how it will really work, THEN finally building a prototype. RECF has produced a document for the Build Process.

Parts

Each team gets one controller and brain and can use the shared materials from the robotics room. It is best if all team members know the names of the common parts and to know what parts are available in case we don't have something that is needed in your design. Here is a link to the VEX EDR Catalog of all parts. Here is a link to the VEX IQ Catalog of parts.

Modular Design

Several of the teams which we met at Worlds stressed that the concept of MODULAR DESIGN was very important to allow building of chassis and object manipulators to occur simultaneously as well as to facilitate speedy repairs. Modular design is accomplished when designers define interfaces between the different parts of the robot that allow for easy to connect and disconnect. For example, define two horizontal c-channels placed on the robot perpendicular to the wheels located at a certain height and a certain number of holes from the front of the robot and spaced exactly 18 bolt holes apart from each other. These two rails will always be located in the same position, height, orientation, and spacing no matter what the chassis design team does with the chassis. This allows the manipulator design team to focus on building arms or devices that rest on two other c-channels that can easily bolt to the chassis c-channels.

VEX Building Resources

Here are some great tutorials we have found on YouTube