Hello, readers!
The team decided on making this blog more active again! Below is the Journal Entries written in by the Mechanical and Electrical Team from January 6th to January 18th.
Day 03 Monday, January 6th
Electrical
Accomplished:
- Disassembling and rebuilding testing board
- Power Distribution Board (PDB) 12v wago connector to 12v-5v adapter for bridge power
- PDB 20 amp wago to Digital sidecar power with 18 awg wire
- PDB 20 amp wago to Spike power with 14 awg wire because it's thin enough to bend but thick enough to hold current
- Used ribbon cable from cRIO digital i/o card to digital sidecare
- Solenoid connected to cRIO solenoid breakout using provided solenoid wire with 2 pin adapter to fin in slot
- Brass manifold added to compressor using 1/4" npt to 1/8" npt nipple
- Added pressure switch and relief valve in addition to the out for the air into the system through 1/4" tubing
- Connected reservoirs using 1/4" tubing with regulator and gauges immediately after
- Solenoid takes regulated air from tubing
- Updated software on computers to 2014
- Got updates from usfirst.org and kickoff kit
- Sorted through and put away kickoff parts
Goals for tomorrow:
- Put majority of electrical components on robot in CAD
- Gather specific dimensions for electrical board
- Program test board and finish any wiring needed
Mechanical
Compression Prototyping
1 Berebot Wheel works
Attempt 1, 1 3/4", TOO MUCH
Attempt 2, 1"
Kevin A. Dylan B.
We prototype the intake using a banedbot wheel. We had a 1 3/4"compression and found that there was too much compression. We also started prototyping the launcher doing calculations for trajectory.
Adjusted CAD according to prototype details. Welled with Dr. Wagner on piston stroke and placement of Actuating appendages. Manufactured catapult sides for tomorrow to the CAD.
V= a x d
e= 5 x 35
E= 17.5 ft 16
f= 60 yr
Ek= YemV^2
f= ma
Day 04, Tuesday, January 7
Electrical
Goals for next time:
- Find the rest of the manual
- Image cRIO & and the board running
- Write test program for board
Accomplished:
- Finished board
- attached reservoir, compressor, and regulators to board.
- compressor 14 dwg wire connected to spike motor output
- Changed bridge to new one
- still need to image tomorrow
- connected 5v power cable already attached
- connected ethernet between cRIO & bridge
- Mostly completed CAD of electronics board
- attached talons to side boards
- cRIO put in the middle next to PDB & digital to allow far height
Mechanical
CAD/Prototype Making
Prototyping: Jackie, Danielle, Dylan K.
Today we built the chassis with dimensions of 30 in x 25.5 inches. We cut the 30 in too short so we offset it by 1/2 inches. We connected the structure together with three 3 inch screws for each connecting area. We also built supporting struts to imitate wheel housing with spacing of 8 inches from the outside of bot to outside of closet start. We added "wheels" to imitate height. Two screw for each board. Both sides have wheels.
Goals for nest time: Finish prototype, strengthen test shooter, strengthen shooter
CAD: I (Kevin A) has been CADing the intake. I had to fix it because we are using sheet metal for the bars so I had to find all of the dimensions. I also had to re-constrain everything. Today's goal was to finalize the intake design but we were only able to create the chassis frame for the shooter mount so I was unable to prototype the intake and to start the order list.
The piston was too big to mount directly on top of the chassis to the shooter, we had to extend the piston mount 1.5 inches out and 4/5 up. -ZJ
Dylan prototype-d the shooter apparatus, worked on positioning the shooter and piston in limited space, prototyping intake.
Day 05, Wednesday, January 8
Electrical
What we did:
- attempted to image the cRIO
- trouble shooting
- updated software to 2013 cRIO image tool
- updated cRIO image
- Cammy's computer successfully imaged cRIO
- Deployed cod successfully w/ labview
- Completed bottom CAD and put into assembly
- Still need to put up top sections
Things to do:
- Order 60mm Green LED ring
- order more reservoirs (pneumatic)
- fix board code until it is fully functional
- Complete all CAD of electrical system
Mechanical
Prototype: (Jackie, Danielle, Dylan K) Today we built in the bumpers 30" x 3" that had a 5 screw attachment.
We created the pivot points for the intake and cut off 2 inch from shooter pivot.
We shortened the intake width from 29" to 27" from inside to inside.
We screwed on the shooter pivot point
We extended the intake arm from 24 in to 26 in, curved the pivot point and screwed on the extensions.
The intake is attached and when we tested it, we succeeded.
Goals for next time: To get the launcher installed onto the prototype.
Worked on supporting ball intake and configuring ball launcher. Prototype-d intake and launcher. Started work on bumpers, tested picking up the ball.
We have managed to find a height and degree for the intake. It is 20" tall and 85 degrees. The prototype of the intake is done which we were able to use to get the height/degree of the intake the piston is the only thing that needs to be mounted.
Day 06, Thursday, January 9
Electrical
What we did:
- Finished Electrical Board
- Code deploys on Darius's computer
- Compressor works tool simple mistake, no PWM cable connected
- Cleaned up wiring all excess wire was cut
- Needed to reimage CRIO; image was corrupt
- Don't use auto strippers; manual strippers are cleaner
- Replaced short tubes with long tubes to fix leaking
- CAD is done with minor regenerating errors
- Found last parts on CAD
- Make bellypan and put the compressor, the breaker and spike on it.
- Tested pneumatic
- Air is all releasing from part 5 solenoid
- Need to troubleshoot tomorrow
- Cause is probably because code is for single action solenoids
Mechanical
Drilled hole (1/2') 3/4" from bottom shooter.
Took inventory of sprockets, Bearings, motors, etc.
Cut out two mounts for pistons to move the intake (prototype).
- Driled 5/16" hole for each mount
*Got to fire prototype shooter - went only about a foot (?) high, failure
Design tweaked piston position to achieve maximum power while conserving as much space as possible.
Designed intake solution to position motors without hindrance of ball when launching.
Changed motor orientation to provide overhead support. Worked on prototype of launcher, internal leaking on electronics board, inconclusive results, pistons never fired at full power for a proper test.
Day 07, Friday, January 10
Electrical
What we did:
- We continued trying to fix the pneumatic leaking problem from yesterday
- Tested it, and the solenoid port 5 was no longer leaking
- Tested pneumatic system with prototype bot
- added another solenoid for the other piston because one wasn't strong enough
- Fixed most minor leaks in the pneumatic system
- Started programming encoders in Begin VI
- Added another reservoir and relabeled pneumatics
- Tried using single action at first
- In testing, the button being held down performed better
Goals:
- Program encoders tomorrow
- Troubleshoot program - buttons no longer working on controller for solenoids
- Vision processing/hot detection
- Starting on Outside
- Lower Intake
- Drive forward until we reach desired distance from low foal
- Attempt to detect hot goal
- Wait until hot goal is detected
- Shoot ball regardless, if 6 seconds have passed
- Position for Tele op
- Reverse a little
- Reverse all the way to truss
- Revers to edge of scoring zone then turn around
- Starting in Middle
- Drive toward a further distance while lowering intake
- Turn to one side
- Detect if goal is hot or not
- if not hot, wait 5 seconds
- Shoot ball
- Turn back straight
- Position for Tele op
Mechanical
Kevin A, ZJ Lin
We were CADing the intake and shooter. We found that the 4"stroke pistons were not strong enough to lift the intake in so we are changing it to a 12"stroke piston.. We need 21516 in of force to pull in the intake but 4"pistons only gave 100. With the 12" we will have enough. We have added the intake motors with the sprockets and shaftlocks. We still need to mount the pistons and the overhead support.
For the shooter
Prototype-d a working shooter with wood. We found that we need a hard stop for the shooter so the Piston won't get damaged.
Need to configure stopper for the ball and guide to make sure the ball falls straight to the back down center.
Day 08, Saturday, January 11
Electrical
Ecoder shaft
- 1/4" diameter
- between 0.25-0.375 length
Encoder Mount -
Did:
- made a list of autonomous tasks
- wrote a code for the encoder for autonomous
- started vision hot detection code
- continued troubleshooting pneumatic system and test board
- fixed leaks in pneumatics
- found out that shot single action pistons - 7ft
- inserted battery and battery mount in CAD and electrical board CAD
- wired encoder to testboard
Goals:
- Test encoder code
- integrate changes to both computers
- try double action once more and single action w/ spring assist
- continue vision processing code
- Find out how to create a Function
- Find out how to create an If-else statement
- Download Hot-Detect Lab-View Code
- DO Tutorial
Mechanical
Prototyping: Dylan K, Jackie W
Added 2 16" beams to hold shooter
16" attached using Bar angled screws
Side - Add elastic assist for shooter
Started to cute metal for fabrication
Goals: Finish up fabrication of parts
Worked on the intake CAD couldn't use 12"piston because it won't give the correct angle. The overhead support still needs to be created and the motor mount has been attached.
Day 09, Sunday, January 12
Electrical
What we did:
- CAD
- Mount for camera
- Battery holder
- Prototype
- Wifi had trouble connecting
- Cable connection worked, wifi did not
- Tested prototype
- Single action was better than double
Goals:
- Test encoder
- Change program back to single action
- Write program for hot dtect
- Fix single action
Mechanical
Build: Dylan K, Jackie W, Danielle
Fabricated parts for chassis
Built make-shit High goal.
Goals: Remake Prototype to imitate field conditions
Day 10, Monday, January 13
Electrical
What we did:
- CAD
- Worked on encoder mount
- Add Batter holder to assembly
- Worked on Bumper connector
- Prototype
- Removed the fittings much better
- Tube length does matter
- Tested - very successful
- 50 psi and 60 psi
- it scores from a variety of distances
- Resolved connection w/ simple fix
- Other
- Fabrice read the vision and hot detection section
Goals:
- Test encoder
- Hot detect program
- Finish bumper CAD
Mechanical
Accomplished: Cut tover bar and Laid out bumper rail holders (x4)
Laid out chassis left/right bottom 2x1 bars (x2)
Tested the shooter and found that if we took the fitting off of the retracting end of the piston, there will be less resistance on the piston when you push because the air escapes faster.
Day 11, Tuesday, January 14
Electrical
Did:
- Encoder testing
- tested encoder example code on test board
- 1 rotation = 250 approx. in encoder dist.
- wrote encoder code in autonomous
- test autonomous
- motor attached to test board
- motor ran infinitely at first
- Hot Detection Target
- Calculated distances to place retro reflective tape
- Put down retro reflective tape with clear tape
- Put black electrical tape onto boders
- Ordered parts
- CAD bumper connections
Goals:
- CAD encoder mount
- Finish encoder testing
- Start creating bumper connections
- Update Fabrice's computer
Mechanical
Robot Chassis is being manufactured and part Drawings are being produced and parts are made in an efficient assembly style.
Drawings from "part drawings" table gets cut out and placed to the "cut parts" table and parts from the "cut parts" table gets taken to lay out and milled then finally finished.
Day 12, Wednesday, January 15
Electrical
Accomplished:
- Encoder mount mostly complete
- Need to still make holes in chassis for standoffs
- Configured Fabrice's computer w/ labview and other tools needed in the season
- Fixed CIM Key in test board
- Tested Encoder code
- reading valves
- Not bad working in Auto
- Finished bumper CAD
Goals for tomorrow:
- CAD Electrical board
- decided to move battery in back
- Electronics must be moved
- Supports need re-configuring
- Talons and compressor may stay the same
- Finish configuring and test camera
- Need 2 more members to learn vision
- Finish testing encoder
Mechanical
Cut, cleaned, milled, marked
Cleaned pieces with acetone, marked and center punched holes for milling, milled holes on parts.
Cut pieces for chassis and shooter, lightening holes on intake, practiced welding
Day 13, Thursday, January 16
Electrical
Accomplished:
- CAD bumper
- Configured camera to a degree
- Tested encoder, works
- Bumper connector part drawings
- Finished CAD battery mount
- Found some plywood
Encoder Working: Fixed open encoder by putting dig src under encoder library on a source and B source and attaching D10 in open to dig src set constants.
Auto: used case statement (if encoder dist. > 100 [or whatever value]) rotations then sct motor=1. If false then set to 0. Stop condition to comparison output.
Goals:
- Find more plywood
- Configure camera completely
- CAD electrical board
- Get bumper material
- move all battery wires
*important thing about "if" statements.
use case structure. set t/f condition and wire it into ? w/green wire, there are 2 cases (you can add more) click the true/flase at top. Set actions for true case, and set actions for false case. Just like if/else statement.
Mechanical
Welded today. We did a practice weld today with the welder. We found out that setting the voltage to 70.25 for 1/8 69.75 for 1/16 thick Aluminum.
Results: The assembly line style work for production we one 9.8/10 done with our parts.
Dylan K, Danielle, Jackie, Black
Milled holes in chassis structure and wheels. Cleaned parts 1/ acetone and rubbing alcohol (70%)
Cut more parts (supports for shooter and intake)
File holes on chassis for bearing.
Day 14, Friday, January 17
Electrical
Done:
- Wiring on new light is reversed
- Green LED arrived and hot detection works
- Takes pictures every 5 seconds instead of a video (ping is terrible)
- Cut wood and pool noodles for bumpers
- Made CAD draft of back encoder shaft
- Moved Talons to center
- Fixed compressor CAD
- Maybe electrical board 16 in long
- Cad of encoder
Goals:
- Keep working on bumpers
- CAD of booth
- CAD of CVO placement
- Keep working on hot detection
- Finish encoder movement
Mechanical
Made part drawing today for lathe. the shafts will be milled tomorrow at BAE Van.
Use grooves for easy installation.
.5 sheets with .44 Diameter
grooves with .0625 thickness
Almost done welding the chassis
We cleaned parts, cut parts and milled parts.
Day 15, Saturday, January 18
Electrical
Accomplished:
- Finished Electrical CAD
- Took out side hanging a little off, 1st bottom board toward new board
- Double checked measurements to make sure everything fits
- compression was an inch off
- Finished cutting plywood and taping noodles
- Wrapped fabric around 4 of the bumpers
- Finished encoder mounting on full assembly and added holes in chassis for screws
- Started testing vision processing with greed LED, only works on example code
Recommended camera settings:
FPS: 15
Compression: 5
Size: 320x240
Huc: 90 126
Sat 24 : 255
Val: 0-96
Bright: 25
Wht bal: Fixed indoor
Exp val: 6
Exp control: hold current uncheck "enable backlight"
exp priority: motion
cam type set to 1011
Area size limit: 0.06 (6%)
Goals: continue testing vision processing and try get it to work on regular testboard project also look into snapshots and image calibrating
Mechanical
Cleaned and milled chassis supports. Started bumper construction (stapling fabric to bumper)
Welded today
