FTC Team Arrowhead – Build Blog Week One

Authored by Diya Rajon

Brainstorming 

Team Arrowhead explored the possibilities of the different input designs, as well as laying out the PROs and CONs of each. 

Prototyping and listing out PROS and CONS

Deciding the Input Prototype build

The members voted on the two prototypes that they wanted to build and possibly test next week. The winning input designs were: a clamper ( arms will clamp block) and a wheel ‘suction’ input ( wheels will spin to draw block in). It was also decided that the two lifting techniques implied in the prototypes will be either an elevator or a rotation mechanism where the arms will simply rotate around a point.

Meeting dismissed at 5:35 PM

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Sept. 24 

Dividing and Conquering 

Team Arrowhead split into two groups, depending on which one the members wanted to work on. The first group started to built the prototype for the wheel input, while the second group focused in on the clamper input. 

Building 

Wheel Input

The group building the wheel was able to finish their prototype, using sprockets as the wheel and completing the chassis that the arms would sit on. 

First prototype for the wheel intake

Clamper Input 

The group building the clamper encountered several problems such as having to figure out where the gears (that would help the slider move back and forth) be positioned. Most of their time was spent planning on how to solve the problem by sketching out ideas. The positioning was important since the two arms needed to move towards each other, but the motor directly working on the two gears would make the arms move in the same direction. 

Planning the input build, attempting to solve problem

Maker Space left at 5:56 PM (Sept. 24)

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Sept. 26

Building 

Wheel Input 

The group building the wheel input was able to refine the prototype by trading out the sprockets for rubber wheels as the latter seemed to possibly have a firmer grip on the smooth block as well as being flexible to some degree. 

Updated prototype of wheel intake

Clamper Input:

The group building the clamper previously encountered problems with the two arms not moving towards each other. The members plan to solve this problem by meshing an idler gear smaller than the gears moving the slider so that the arms move in towards each other. The members completed a prototype of the arms being able to slide when manual force was applied as well as a chassis for the arms. 

Prototype for the clamper intake

Maker Space left at 6:00 PM