| Team Illusion is really on track! We have spent several meetings reorganizing the work area and the various boxes and containers of parts. We have had one excellent JAVA learning session and two introductory lectures on C.A.D. software. We are looking forward to beginning to assemble our pre-season robot on Monday. Then the mechanical, electrical and programming sub-teams will have their opportunities to learn about robots. |
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Nine Team Illusion members gathered together to go over what we learned at the Johns Hopkins Robotics Conference on Saturday. Several students shared what they learned in various workshops on topics like CAD, JAVA and Electronics.
On Monday evening College Mentor Eli Barnett introduced Team Illusion to the CAD program called AutoDesk Inventor, available for free through AutoDesk. He showed us how to build, extrude and constrain basic parts that we would use on a robot. Eli told us that many of the intricate parts that we would have to use to build a robot are available for download from the parts manufacturer's websites. This will avoid us having to "recreate the wheel". Each student will need to download the program on their computers so that they can learn to use it at home. They may find the files to download here at http://www.autodesk.com/education/free-software/inventor-professional . Once there please sign up for a free 3 year account and then choose the computer operating system you are on and then click on download. Additional information and links to tutorials are located at http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/cad-design-and-animation . Oct 24, 2014
1. Mike Desch did not show for the talk on Engineering Principles. Alex filled in with his Robot Drive lecture, which was followed by Demo the Robot. · A video of the lecture is available for those students who did not attend the Class · Wireless connect to robot from drive station was configured. · Fabrication Update: · Aluminum is in Parts to be transported to Bill's place for fabrication Saturday, Nov 1st, first mechanical hands on at Bill's place. CNC work to be outsourced for gerabox accessories - Nov 8th or later. 2. Brief intro on WPI API by Satya; WPI will be visited and re-visited over and over throughout the training and assembly period. 3. Brief intro on Programming by Alex to be expanded in the coming weeks. 4. Weekly twice meetings on Moday and Friday to begin effective Oct 27th. The meetings are to begin at 6:00 pm sharp instead of 5:00 pm. · Traffic and dinner time conflicts were making people perennially late by 1/2 hour to 45 mts. · The Orbit Lane workplace will be open at 5:00 pm, so people can come in and work on whatever they need to. · A commodity that is in short supply is TIME – for UMD mentors, Vijay, Satya, Chris, Bill and MaryAnna. As a courtesy to the Maryland mentors and others who sacrifice 4 hours of their valuable time per day, we request students and parents must be prompt by arriving at Orbit Lane at 5:45 sharp and get settled to begin training at 6:00 pm. 5. Food at the Meetings: Allergic reaction of Patrick O'Hanlon to peanuts raised a scare for all of us. We are all happy to see Patrick at the Saturday BAA all day event after recovering from his ordeal. · We request that all students must indicate next time they sign-in what foods or other things they may be allergic to and this information will be kept in our records at Orbit Lane. 6. Meeting day logistics: · For each day, one parent will be assigned to make sure the meeting is conducted in orderly manner and closing down ritual goes smoothly. · Each parent will be cycled through the list of parents registered in the Team roster so one parent will take the responsibility of starting the closing protocol, cleaning the place and keeping the place ready for business for the next meeting. The schedule will be posted at the kitchen as well as on the web. · One student will be selected each day to take attendance and organize student activity for the day. Again, this will be posted along with the above parent list. 7. The entire team should visit the Team Illusion site often to read the newsletter, know the meeting agenda and the class schedules and content. Newsletter: We are seeking a student who has writing and editing skills and who is interested in writing a weekly newsletter. Vijay , Satya, Chris will train and monitor a student who will compose the newsletter that will be posted on the web. An email will be sent to the team providing a link where the newsletter is posted with a password access. Agenda: Agenda is also posted on the website for the meetings for the entire season and updated periodically as and when new events are scheduled. Curriculum: Curriculum is being revised with feedback from Alex and Vijay to not to pack the 3 hours tightly and allow for breaks; We will schedule a 2 hr presentation with one hour for hands on time. Curriculum also will be posted on the web. Students should look at the class content for each day and come prepared for the class. 8. Orbit Lane Workflow: The work area is configured into Stock room, Workshop area, Programming space, and Assembly area: The stock room is the garage; Workshop will be at the south end adjoining the garage; Programming and class room area at the north end; and Assembly area is in the middle. Stock room – The garage needs to be cleaned up, so we can properly use it as a stock room. We are looking for volunteers. Workshop: Satya, Mr. Anton organizing it with Joseph, Eric, Hassan and Karan; Chop saw on a different table with wheels so the cutting could be done outside to keep the wood waste and metal filings away from the work area; Mechanical on one side (east); Electrical on another side (west); First aid box will be installed soon. Assembly area: There are two large tables that can be used for assembly and demonstration purposes. Programming space: Vijay, Alex are reconfiguring the area and moving tables around. Parents and Students, please volunteer to help them. Pictures to be hanged on the walls; set up and help - Mary Anna 9. Greg Foster organized the BAA all day event for Team Illusion – Thank you, Greg for taking care of tickets, and briefing the parents on the event schedule. 10. Greg is pursuing with FIRST and Grainger for the transfer of $5000 promised by them last year. 11. Next social event is on Nov 1st at the Smithsonian where the SlingShot documentary with be shown. We are looking for a parent and a student volunteer to organize the event and take responsibility. |
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