3D Parts for the robot

The Game

In order to understand the parts the team designed for the robot, one needs to understand the game. Basically the robot needs to pick up 2" cubes and score them in baskets, it needs to raise a flag, and lift itself off of the ground. A detailed video of the game is available at: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/ftc/game

The Bucket Rev 1.5

The team designed several versions of a bucket for picking up the 2" cubes. Here are pictures of the revision 1.5, the first print de-laminated a little, so we cranked up the extruder temperature 5 degrees C.

 Designing the bucket in CAD. You can see the first print (grey bucket)

 This piece is used to hold a plexiglass top on the bucket

 Finished bucket (20 hr print)

 Side view of bucket

 Bucket on the robot

Bucket with the plexiglass top

Flag Spinner

 Flag spinner, used to raise the flag

Flag spinner attached to the robot

Team Numbers

Each robot is required to have team numbers visible on both sides. Perfect for a 3D printer!

And the team used a font that matches our rock star themed t-shirts.

Bucket Rev 2.0

After our first League Play, it was obvious we weren't going to have a winning robot unless we were able to hang. So in order to get a hook to reach the hanging bar, we had to re-design the bucket from a 4x1 cube configuration to a 2x2 configuration.

Bucket on the robot (23 hr print)

Bucket with 3D printed block sweeper, no we didn't print the surgical tubing ;-)

Side view

The Hook

After 4 different designs, we have a winner! Thank goodness for the 3D printer and the ability to quickly spin new designs.

THE Hook! It is 3/8" thick. Nice and strong.

A different view of the hook.

Revision 3 of the hook, a demo of how the hook works.

Other 3D prints on the robot

This is hard to see, but the red 3D print holds a servo that tips the bucket. Sweet design. I don't want to even guess how much all this stuff would have cost to have manufactured in aluminum.

Again, another one that is hard to see. We designed sensor mounts (in blue). The ones that came with the robot kit are junk. These ROCK!

And everyone loves our NXT (the lego computer that runs everything) mount. For some reason, the print shifted several times, but it gives the mount character.

Oh, and our numbers are the same, but we mounted them as spinners.

The Robot, ready to ROCK!

Here is the robot with some blocks getting ready to score in the baskets.

Ready to dump

I have to say, the 3D printer has been worth every penny. Kids that weren't interested in designing in CAD have designed parts just to print. We have been able to quickly spin new parts based on robot performance to design what we hope is a winner.

The MendleMax 2.0 Build

Day 1

Taking inventory

Building the frame

More building the frame

Day 2

Working on the X and Y axis'

Two computers means one person working on the X axis, the other working on the Y

The Y axis

Working on the Z axis

Day 3

More Z axis work

Closeup of the X axis, minus extruder

Side view

Adding the electronics

Closeup of the RamBo board and power supply

More electronics

Yes, the team had fun building!

The extruder build team

More extruder build

Online Google docs for the build was priceless

Half the team with the finished MendleMax 2.0

 We hope it is ready to go!

Day 4

OK, so we weren't quite done, we needed to add the endstops and debug a bit

Adding the endstop

Soldering wires for clean connections

Day 4.5

Printing!

Learning the software

Printing a 1x1x1 cube

I helped very little. Mostly with debug and the software.

Looking pretty good.

Success makes us happy, happy, happy!

Day 5

Tweaking the printer

We still haven't super dialed in the printer, but with a few minor tweaks, we were getting results good enough for our MendleMax parts and for our robot parts.

On the left, pre-tweak. On the right, looking pretty good.

What the heck, we need to print something fun.

Fun as in a  blue glow in the dark starfish!

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