Week 3 was finals week at our school. In past years, we didn’t meet during finals week until Friday, when the final exams were over. This year the team captains, who are mostly seniors, wanted to continue to meet during finals week. As expected, they were the only ones who showed up, in addition to the mentors.
At the end of Week 3, the CAD model was 99% complete except for some sensors. The practice robot chassis and the above chassis frame were also completed. The belting for the ball conveyor system was cut to length and welded together. Also, the fabrication of the frame parts for the competition robot was started.
We have a new design for our bumpers this year. It is easier to build, and it will take even less time to change. In our first year, it took 5 to 10 minutes to change the bumpers from one color to the other. In our second year, we managed cut it down to about 1 minute. Last year, it was a 2 piece bumper design that took about 15 seconds. This year, we projected that it would take 5 to 10 seconds to change the bumpers. This is part of our continuous improvement mentality without compromising the structural integrity of the bumper attachment system.