Framing the Robot (Weekly Update #2)

Half-Finished frames for the robot pictured laying on a work table

Once all the prototyping was finished, it was finally time to start building the actual robot. Team Lead Samuel Holton and Build Team member Wyatt Smith worked on building bumpers to put around the robot in order to prevent the bare frame and base being damaged during collisions.

Build Team worked on building the frame for the finished robot. They completed this task by screwing in vertical 1x1 pieces of metal into the sides of the base, and then screwing horizontal pieces of 1x1 into those two in order to add structural integrity. Once this was completed, they began adding the intake and the shooter onto the robot, and are now planning on adding the hopper as well.

Various electrical components laid out on a piece of lexan in the spots they are planned to go on the finished robot

The Electrical Team worked this week to layout where all of the electrical components would go on the finished robot. The current plan is to have the board double as one of the sides of the hopper that will, in the future, funnel fuel into the shooter.

Programming worked to dial in the Vision system. Programmers Maddie and Shawn got a system wired together and got some code working that would allow the camera that will be outfitted on the robot to detect April tags, which function much like QR Codes and allow the robot to orient itself the correct distance away from the hub it is planned to shoot fuel into when the time comes to finally get the robot on the field.

As always, the TEMPEST Robotics Team wants to give a special shoutout to you, reader, for keeping up to date on our endeavors during this robotics season.