Every year high school students have 6-weeks to complete FIRST’s Robotics Challenge. They must design and build a robot that can successfully compete against teams from across the nation at regional competitions. Our team is divided into four separate sub-teams: Mechanical, Electrical, Programming, CAD, and Marketing. MECHANICAL is in charge of creating a prototype and the physical construction o
f the robot. They train new members to safely use power tools and handle build equipment to create a practice field to use before competition. Students in this sub-team build the skeletal structure of the robot, and efficiently arrange the motors, electronics, and various mechanisms onto the robot. The electrical board essentially connects the power and the programming to the motors and other parts of the robot so that it may perform all the desired functions. THE PROGRAMMING TEAM creates and runs a program in Java that allows students to control the robot. Programming code directs the robot to carry out a specific job within the limits of its hardware. THE CAD TEAM is in charge of digitally designing the robot with exact measurements to ensure a smooth ex*****on. By utilizing Autodesk Inventor, students are able to assemble various extrusions, motors, and other parts. Once assembly is completed, the program allows the user to perform a drive function that demonstrates all the parts working together. Following this digital model and its matching blueprints, the mechanical team is able to recreate the robot with real metal and parts. And finally, THE MARKETING TEAM is in charge of all the behind-the-scenes work: every year they must carry out fundraisers, acquire sponsorship and grants to meet the yearly $10,000 budget needed for a successful season. They also market the team, reach out to the community, and make robotics stand out in our community. Each individual group specializes in their field, but each plays an integral part in the planning, construction, and completion of the robot.
