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ME 2110 - Creative Decisions and Design: Robot Competition Project
Project Objective
Design and construct a fully autonomous robot capable of competing in a head-to-head challenge to complete specific tasks efficiently, such as transporting objects, navigating obstacles, and scoring points within the competition arena.
Tasks included raising "Sadness" to a recall tube ladder, depositing "Mind Manuals" into the Back of the Mind Centerpiece, retrieving "Emotions" from the center to headquarters, and delivering the "Sense of Self" and "Train of Thought" to their respective pick-up zones.
Impact of Work
This project fosters innovation and creative problem-solving in engineering design, emphasizing practical applications of mechanical systems and programming. Beyond its educational purpose, it demonstrates how autonomous systems can be developed to solve real-world problems involving precision, efficiency, and adaptability, which are critical in fields like manufacturing, logistics, and robotics for societal benefit.
IDEA Lab
Where the fabrication and testing of the robot took place.
Industrial Robotic Arm
Potential application of concepts learned.
My Role
I served as the team lead for the mechanical subsystem, overseeing the design, analysis, and integration of the robot's structural and functional components while coordinating with the programming and electronics teams to ensure cohesive system performance. I also managed a sprint-based project workflow that guided iterative design and development, resulting in the final robot, Phoenix, which demonstrated robust performance in competition trials.
My Contribution
PVCTele Full Design
PVCTele System Upon Activation with Drawer Slides and PVC Tubes Fully Compact and Emotion Collection Arm Held Down
Design Leadership
Led the complete CAD development of the design, named PVCTele, meticulously designing each subsystem to ensure proper alignment, eliminate interferences, and accurately map geometries for an optimal final design.
Material Selection & Fabrication
Chose and implemented robust materials for construction, including 2x4 birch housings and 3D-printed components for precision and durability, replacing earlier rapid manufacturing methods.
Final Competition Robot
Phoenix Robot Upon Activation with Taped Drawer Slides showing Sturdy Vertical, Horizontal, and Base Supports
Fully Extended CAD
PVCTele Drawer Slides with Fully Extended Box and Telescopic PVC Tubes Hooking Sadness
Subsystem Development
Designed and fabricated critical mechanisms, including the telescoping Sadness system, mousetrap-powered emotion arm, and mind manual passive release mechanism, focusing on reliability and consistency.
Back of Robot
Back View of Sadness PVC Tubes upon Activation Press-Fit into 3D-Printed Mount
End Box
Back of Box showing Fabric Ramp, Emotion Collection Bag, Pneumatic Impact Blocks, and 3D-printed Spool Receiver
Iterative Improvements
Incorporated lessons from early sprint failures by redesigning unstable components and refining mechanisms, significantly increasing the robot’s scoring potential and structural integrity.
Sprint 1 Robot
Highlighting Supports, Pneumatic Actuators, and Spool
Sprint 2 Robot
Fully Extended Drawer Slides and Sadness Systems
Sprint 3 Robot
Active Emotion and Mind Manuals and Fully Extended PVC Tubes
Advanced Manufacturing
Manufacturing Expertise
Utilized advanced manufacturing techniques such as laser cutting and 3D printing to produce precision parts in tandem with project partners to leverage collective expertise.
Performance Optimization
Conducted iterative testing and redesigns, resulting in improved consistency and performance, as evidenced by a score increase from 56.3 points in Sprint 1 to 141.6 points in the final competition, resulting in a 7th place performance finish.
Final Competition
Mind Manuals Deposited, Emotions Collected, Sadness Hooked, and Eran Supporters in Background
Design Review: Robot & Poster
Design Validation
Presented the design and manufacturing process during the Design Review, showcasing PVCTele’s reliability and earning a strong 5th place in the final design standings.
Strategic Planning
Applied engineering design principles to balance complexity with reliability, ensuring compliance with competition constraints and maximizing scoring efficiency.
Evaluation Matrix
Demonstrating PVCTele’s Highest Relative Total for High Performing Safety, Sadness, Horizontal Reach, and Stability
Challenges & Solutions
Material Inconsistency and Durability
Challenge: Early prototypes used hot glue and cardboard, leading to inconsistent performance, weak joints, and frequent failures during testing. These materials lacked the durability needed for repeated competition use.
Solution: Replaced temporary materials with 2x4 birch for the housing and 3D-printed components for precision parts. This upgrade improved structural integrity and ensured consistent operation under competitive conditions. By taking the time to carefully fabricate each part, the robot's reliability and performance were significantly enhanced.
Sprint 2 Robot: Unstable
Cardboard Mind Manuals, Rubber Band Bolt Arm, and Taped Emotion Storage Bag
Sprint 3 Robot: Stable
3D Printed Mind Manuals, Mouse Trap Arm, 3D Printed Bumper, and securely bolted box
CAD-First Design Approach
Challenge: Initial designs fabricated without thorough CAD modeling resulted in misaligned components and repeated adjustments, wasting time and resources. Additionally, the lack of spatial planning led to inefficiencies in integrating subsystems.
Solution: Committed to developing a full CAD model of PVCTele before fabrication. This ensured precise alignment of internal mechanisms, proper clearance for moving parts, and compatibility with competition field geometries. The CAD-first approach streamlined the build process, reduced errors, and saved time in the long run.
Sprint 2 Robot: Misaligned
The first 2 robots were constructed without a thorough CAD plan, resulting in interfering geometries
Final Robot CAD
3D-printed Bumper on Front of Box to Align Emotion and Mind Manual Systems
Leveraging Team Strengths
Challenge: Balancing diverse skillsets within the team and ensuring contributions aligned with individual expertise was initially difficult, leading to overlapping tasks and inefficiencies.
Solution: Assigned roles based on strengths—fabrication tasks to those skilled in manufacturing, CAD and subsystem design to experienced modelers, programming to those with mechatronics knowledge, and project management to organized leaders. This clear delegation maximized team efficiency and ensured high-quality outputs in every aspect of the project. Effective collaboration also fostered a sense of ownership and accountability within the team.
Fully Extended CAD
Full CAD model of extended robot I created to maximize efficiency and consistency
Sadness Subsystem
Picture of Sadness subystem independently designed and fabricated by my teammates
Results
Developed a fully functional autonomous robot, PVCTele, that met all competition requirements and delivered consistent performance during trials, securing a 7th place overall finish in the competition.
Earned a 5th place finish in the design review, showcasing detailed design documentation, including SolidWorks assemblies, stress analysis reports, and a comprehensive technical report summarizing the project lifecycle.
Gained hands-on experience with mechanical design and rapid prototyping, including precision machining, CAD modeling, and 3D printing of functional components.
Enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration skills, integrating fabrication, mechatronics, and project management to deliver a cohesive final product.
Point Performance
Chart showing Improvement in Average Point Performance
Final Competition
Final Robot Before Activation with Compressed Slides, Arm, and Tubes
Run3.mp4Full Run Video: Round 3 of Final Competition, Scoring 257 Points
Shaping Future Experience
This project solidified my passion for robotics and mechanical systems, inspiring me to pursue further opportunities in autonomous systems and interdisciplinary design. It directly influenced my decision to join advanced robotics teams and pursue research into autonomous technologies for complex environments, shaping my career aspirations in robotics and space exploration.
Design Review Poster
Full Final Presentation
Final Report Presentation.pptxFull Final Report
Final Report Phoenix.docxGoogle Sites
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