FTC Basic Design

By Andrew Rudolph
 What are we designing?

STRATEGY DRIVES ROBOT

DESIGN NOT THE OPPOSITE!
What are we designing?

The Road to Reality

2012 – 2013 Robot Rules
Not the same as it used to be
 Robot Rules 2012-2013
• 18” x 18” x 18” – No weight limits
• No mechanisms which:
• Damage Playing field
• Damage or flip other robots
• Entangle
• Sharp edges
• Use hazardous materials
 Robot Rules 2012-2013
• Only can use preformed robotics components
from:
• Lego
• Tetrix
• Matrix
 Matrix?
• Designed to bring costs down of FTC overseas
• Designed off standard lego grid
• Different motors
• Different motor controllers
• Different Gears and wheels Observed at World
• Possibly thinner metal Championship
• Belt system exhibit
• CV Axles
• Check some of the offerings at:
• http://matrixrobotics.com
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forum
s/showthread.php?t=106017 Matrix
 Robot Rules 2012-2013
• Only COTS (Custom Off The Shelf) items
allowed:
• Linear Slide
• Non-motorized Turntables and Lazy Susan
• Lead screws and threaded rod plus compatible
nuts
• Servo Blocks
• #25 Chain and connector or half links
 Robot Rules 2012-2013
• Unlimited in quantity or size of the following:
• Raw material available to all teams from standard
distributors
• Standard bearings or bushings
• Fasteners
• Rope, Cord, Cable, monofilament, …
• Rubber bands
• Latex tubing
• Zip ties
• Nonslip pad without adhesive backing
• Electrical solder, tape and any type of glue/cement
• Any COTS lubricant as long as it doesn’t get on stuff
Low Resolution Design
You’ll get HDTV later
 Low Resolution Design
• Drawings
 Low Resolution Design
• Cardboard Mockups
 The game piece
• What can I do with this game piece?
• What is the raw data on the game piece?
• Size
• Weight
• Center of Gravity
• Hard / Soft / Bouncy
• Are there any unique features I can use to my
advantage?
 Sample AnalysisThe Crate from 2011-2012

• 9" L x 7 7/8" W x 6 1/8" H

• Covered in .75” dia. holes
• Hard Plastic
• Ideal for organizing CDs, DVDs
or smaller items in the office,
bathroom or college dorm
room.
 What tasks within my strategy do I
need to perform?
• Are you going to…
• acquire it?
• manipulate it?
• store it?
• lift it?
• position it?
• release it?
 The game piece
• Think like a robot about the game piece:
• What does the game piece look like from the
robots POV?

• What are all the ways the game piece could lay?

• What is the most usable or stable position?

• How does the object react?

Break time!
 Drive Trains
• 2wd
• Casters / Omni wheels on end
• Difficult to drive
• Highly maneuverable
• Easy to get pushed
• Low payload
 Drive Trains
• 4wd
• Easy to drive
• Can be low maneuverable
• Good pushing
• Easy to balance weight
 Drive Trains
• 6wd
• Drop center gives best of 2wd and 4wd
• Easy to drive
• Can be low maneuverable
• (w/o drop center)
 Drive Trains
• Holonomic
• Maximum maneuverability
• Difficult to code / drive
• Easy to be pushed around
• Complex design
 Drive Trains
• Tread
• Lower Center for maximum maneuverability
• FTC treads tend to slide
• Snap easily with side load
http://www.youtube.com/user/FTC5454
Mobility Analysis
 Speed Reduction
• Slower Speed Higher Torque
• Higher Speed Lower Torque

221 robotics systems chain breaker

 Mechanisms
• Linkages

http://kmoddl.library.cornell.edu/ http://www.mechanisms101.com
 Mechanisms
• Lifts
 Mechanisms
• Complex stuff
 Medium Resolution Design
• Prototypes
 CAD
• No surprises when you build
your real robot
• Make changes quickly
• Package your electronics!
• Inventor
• SolidWorks
• Creo (PTC)
• Use online tutorials, or take
classes at Community College
• http://www.catalogds.com/db/service?domain=fi
rst&command=showProduct&category=FTC_KOP
&product=FTC%20Kit%20of%20Parts
• Google Tetrix CAD
 Paper Towers
• Make the tallest tower you can
• Must support at least 1 golf ball within 3” of the
tallest point
• 3” bonus for every ball extra in top 6” of tower
• 1 Newspaper sheet
• 1 Strip of Tape
• Must be freestanding (i.e. cannot be taped to
floors, walls, etc)
• Must pass a whoosh test
• Must spend 4 minutes minimum planning
 General Design Tips
• Maximize your “Acquisition Zone”
 General Design Tips
• Alignment Devices
 General Design Tips
• Use Nylock Nuts
 General Design Tips
• Keep your Center of Gravity low
 General Design Tips
• Will stray objects interfere?
 General Design Tips
• Make it easy to drive
 General Design Tips
• Design is an iterative process
 Other Design Mantras
• Really, simple IS better
• Assume Nothing
• Sometimes wild ideas lead to champions
• You don’t have to prototype everything…
…just the parts you want to work.
 Resources
Laird Plastics
Alro Metals Plus - Orlando www.lairdplastics.com
www.alro.com 4240 LB McLEOD RD
1101 Oak Lane ORLANDO, FL 32811
Winter Springs , FL 32708-2323 407-316-0042
(407) 339-2576
Full sheets of plastic, lots of options, might
Metal sheet, extrusion, Aluminum, steel, brass, some plastics have to order in parts, much cheaper than
Can get new cut or from “drop” most places.

McMaster-Carr Fastenal
www.mcmaster.com www.fastenal.com
Multiple Orlando Locations
Everything (i.e. bearings, bushings, hardware, tools, Hardware, in bulk, some tools, great prices.
raw materials). Easiest website to find things on,
fast shipping from Atlanta Warehouse, decent Skycraft Surplus
prices on most things. www.skycraftsurplus.com
2245 W Fairbanks Ave
Grainger
Winter Park, FL 32789
www.grainger.com
Like McMaster but much more difficult to use catalog /
If you’ve never been you’re missing out. Great
Website. Has a few local storefronts that can help find
place to get wires and other ideas.
part or even stock.

MSC www.hansenhobbies.com
www.mscdirect.com Great kit for building your own PWM cables
Like Grainger
Thank you.