Hardware
Hardware – one of three parts for creating your ultimate robot! Check out these tips below to find simple, easy solutions to the most common problems as well as information to help your team maximize its robot design potential.
Quick Links:
Virtual Design
Design Strategy
Machining
Hardware Suppliers
Virtual Design
Using virtual design programs (such as, AutoCAD Inventor or Solidworks) can often be the best help for new teams. It allows the team to look and see design challenges before they actually build their robot parts. It can also make a more cohesive design and ensures that all parts will fit together properly.
However, knowing how to use these programs can often involve a steep learning curve. So is it worth it? And what is the best way to tackle that learning curve?
There are many different design or Computer Aided Design (CAD) programs available. Two popular programs amongst FRC teams are AutoCAD Inventor and SolidWorks, which both can be obtain for free through FIRST. Overall, CAD is just CAD, so use the pros and cons below to choose a program and stick with that program – in the end, experience with the program will make the difference.
If you have access to a CNC machine, make sure you use the correct program in order to interface with the machine properly.
SolidWorks
Pros:
- Used frequently in the design industry and college education systems. This means that the skills that you learn by using SolidWorks for FIRST will likely be beneficial in your future studies in technology.
- Quick to model parts. SolidWorks uses a simple drag and measurement system that is easy to learn.
- Very customizable user interface. Solidworks allows you to select the buttons and options you want on your control panel. As you get more experienced, you can customize this panel to work better for you personally.
- Constraining assemblies easier to accomplish. The “mate” tool in SolidWorks allows you to click on two different parts and select a constraint from a dropdown box. SolidWorks also automatically moves the part after you select the constraint, letting you see the effect before confirming the contraint.
- Good product documentation and tutorials. SolidWorks makes sure that the official tutorials cover as much of the product’s capabilities as possible. This documentation allows you to search for certain issues or capabilities and instantly get a good explanation.
- Large CAD library database available on the internet (e.g., 3D Content Central). This database allows you to download already-modeled parts to put into your CAD design, saving you valuable time and often giving you even-higher quality parts.
- Easy to use analysis tools (e.g., SolidWorks Simulation and Motion). SolidWorks has analysis tools built right into the system, which makes it easy to switch back and forth between drawing and testing.
- Good base of tutorials on YouTube. If you are looking for a tutorial of a specific feature of SolidWorks, the odds are that YouTube has the explanation.
Cons:
- Not very simple to animate the design. In order to make your design manipulatable and to test any real-world constrains, it takes another portion of the software (along with more knowledge/training) to make it possible.
- Lack of backward compatibility. Once a file is saved in a newer version of SolidWorks, you can’t open that file in an older version of the program.
Click here to order free SolidWorks CDs for your team. Fill out all of the information for your FRC team and SolidWorks will automatically send you copies of the SolidWorks Student Edition CD for free. These CDs should be in the Kit of Parts you receive from FIRST on Kickoff Day.
Your CDs also include a fantastic database of tutorials. But to start getting familiar with the program before your CD arrives, click here to go to the official Solid Works site. If you want more tutorials specifically about robots, click here.
Autodesk Inventor
Pros:
- More tuned for consumer systems. The program runs faster than SolidWorks on personal computers.
- Used frequently in college classrooms. This means that by learning Autodesk Inventor skills in FIRST, they can be applied at a higher level of education.
Cons:
- Big assemblies can be tricky. Error messages and bugs are harder to fix in Inventor than in SolidWorks.
- Not as applicable to industrial applications. Autodesk Inventor is not as commonly used in the industry.
Click here to download the free Student Edition of Autodesk Inventor program for your team. You also get this in the Kit of Parts you receive from FIRST on Kickoff Day. While you wait for your download or CD, go here to learn about the basics of Autodesk Inventor via their online tutorial videos.
Still have questions about CAD, SolidWorks, or Autodesk Inventor that we didn’t explain here? Ask us!
Design Strategy
How should you go about designing your robot? Should you have a different plan of attack as a rookie team than the other more experienced teams?
Tips:
- K.I.S.S. This mantra – Keep It Simple Stupid – goes for the majority of the teams, not just rookies. A simple design has less places to fail and means that more resources and energy can go to designing the fewer parts with higher quality. In addition, remember that it will be more fun to have a simple, working robot, than a complex, not-working or consistently breaking down robot at competition.
- Have a brainstorming agenda. Write up a general schedule for your team so that you spend an adequate amount of time brainstorming and designing, but not so much that you don’t have adequate time to actually build and test the parts. Search online – many teams open source their schedules for the year.
- Over-estimate the amount of time everything will take. This way you’ll plan for things taking you longer because of the rookie disadvantage (learning curve). Estimate at least double the time you’d expect for each activity and then budget time for an extra 2 to 3 major issues.
- Don’t forget about your programmers. They need the necessary time with the robot for testing and debugging.
- Ideally, rookie teams should strive to have a driving robot (just the chassis) within two weeks. Stick to the kit frame, and try to follow the FIRST instructions as closely as possible. The hardest part of creating the basic chassis tends to be electronics. Try and get a veteran team to guide you on putting a full system together.
- Know the parts that come in the kit. Use the Kit of Parts to your advantage, especially if you have a limited budget. Go to last year’s Kit of Parts website and scan through the list, looking up any parts that are unfamiliar to you so that you are best prepared for the Build Season!
- Look at previous year’s successful designs. Often, you can see similarities between the different challenges, which means that you can draw ideas from the similarities in designs. During the season, this means finding the past game most like the current one, and finding what was effective then.
- Look for standard FIRST design ideas. Research past robots to see the major types of mechanisms (rotary arm, forklift, etc.) used in FIRST and finding examples of effective designs that fit within your fabrication capabilities. Using the drive train as an example, it’s a matter of learning what the possibilities are: 4-wheel skid, 6-wheel skid, mechanum, and the exotics.
- Kitbot on steriods. Click here to watch a video about how to correctly design and assembly a chassis base using the parts you get in your kit. (Credit to FIRST Team #1114)
Still have questions about design strategy that we didn’t explain here? Ask us!
Machining
Tips for success, even without all the tools.
Often, rookie teams don’t have the benefit of having a shop space or industrial tools. If this is the case for you, don’t despair because there are plenty of options for your team.
- Raid the workbenches. Many of your team’s families may have perfectly usable tools lying around in the garage or basement room. Ask your team to gather as many tools as possible to make up your team’s “machine shop”.
- Buy a few, high quality tools. Invest in tools that will last the torture of Build Season and will be able to make all of the parts on your robot.
- Buy two of the high-need tools. These are the tools that will always be in demand while creating your robot, and most commonly are: drills, wrench sets, Allen key sets (in both the standard and metric sizes), and tiny screw drivers.
- Invest in prototyping materials. Prototyping can be done using wood, duct tape, cardboard, and even scrap metal – you can even ask your local scrap company for donations. These materials will allow you to quickly test any design ideas you have without needing to CAD or build official parts.
- Send out parts. Many teams without access to machine shops choose to CAD their parts and send them to outside companies to be machined professionally. However, this option is often expensive and requires extremely detailed CAD drawings.
Train Your Team: Machining
- Machining Websites. This website thoroughly explains not only safety for each of the tools, but how each of the tools should be used and how they work. This is a good option as preparation for training your team on the actual equipment.
- Training exercises. Have your team try out all of the equipment prior to the Build Season. For FIRST Team #3504, we have each group of students (about 3 to 4 students per group) build a project using the lathe, drill press, mill, horizontal band saw, vertical band saw, sanding belt, and various common hand tools. This gives every student on our team experience and confidence with the machines prior to the Build Season frenzy.
- Mentors. Make sure a mentor is always in the room when students are using the machinery. This will make the student more comfortable. They can ask the mentor for help if they are unsure of how to do something and it will also ensure that the students of the team are correctly and safely using the machinery as they make their parts.
- Comfortable with the machinery. This is the most important step towards (a) getting useful parts out of the machining process and (b) making your team as safe as possible. The more comfortable the students are with the machines, the less likely they will be to make a mistake. Doing exercises like the above helps the students achieve this level of comfort when working with heavy machinery.
- On the other hand, beware of becoming over-confident with the machines. Short cuts can result in mistakes, which can cause schedule delays or, worse yet, injuries.
Safety
- Safety Glasses. Always wear safety glasses in your working areas, no matter if the robot is on or if the students are machining items. Every student should have safety glasses on while at robotics. Make it part of the culture.
- Gloves – Yes or No? It is actually appropriate at times to work without gloves for safety reasons. When working with rotating machinery (mill, lathe, belt sander), it is often a good idea NOT to wear gloves, as they might catch in the spinning parts of the machine. Other times, like when students are working with hot or sharp objects, gloves should be worn.
- Shoes. Make sure that every team member has closed-toed shoes on around the robot or in the machine shop. You should also check the soles of your shoes at the end of the day to ensure that you are not taking any metal shavings home with you.
- Appropriate clothing and accessories. No dangling earrings, scarves, or other loose clothing that might get caught in the robot or the machines.
- Hair. Have hair ties available and ensure they are used as the length of hair dictates. Getting hair caught in machines or the robot can be extremely dangerous – even fatal.
- Hearing protection. Have ear plugs available for all of the team members, especially in the machine shop. Some of the machines/tools can be loud while cutting certain metals, so be prepared.
- Batteries. Make sure you use electrical tape, heat shrink, or other appropriate material to cover where the big wires connect to the actual battery. This is required at competitions and just good practice overall.
- Fire. Have multiple fire extinguishers in prominent places in your work space. Teach your team how to use them.
- First-Aid Kit. Keep a substantial first-aid kit on hand. Nobody wants injuries to occur, but you should be prepared if they do.
Watch last year’s winning safety video, also above, created by FIRST Team #846.
Still have questions about machining, training, or safety that we didn’t explain here? Ask us!
Hardware Suppliers
Common suppliers of FIRST parts:
- McMaster – This has as a wide variety of stuff. Good website. Expensive. Extremely fast shipping.
- Online Metals – Much cheaper than McMaster for most Al or Steel stock. Also has other metals and plastic.
- Bolt Depot – Good source of hardware (bolts, washers, nuts, etc.)
- SDP/SI – Large selection of gears and sprockets. Also a good source for shaft, shaft couplers, and a few other things.
- Harbor Freight – Cheap tools. Very cheap shipping. Most tools are lower quality, but perfectly usable.
- Grainger Industrial Supply – More mechanical parts.
- Digi-Key – Prime source of electronics components. Massive selection of IC’s.
- Newark/element14 – Electronics materials.
- Mouser Electronics – Electronics materials.
- Pneuaire – Lightweight air tanks for pneumatics systems.
- Andy Mark – FIRST-specific products, especially gearboxes and wheels.
- Banebots – Light-weight, Low-load gearboxes. Some with high gear ratios.
- 80/20 Inc – modular structural extrusion, connectors, and related hardware.
- Skyway – wheels.
- IFI Robotics – Victors, wheels, modular structure, and a few other things.
- Colson Caster – wheels, massive selection.
- Fastenal – 30% off fasteners (i.e. bolts, nuts, screws) and 15% off of general product for FIRST teams. Offer good through March 15, 2012.
Make sure your team utilizes FIRST Choice – AndyMark and FIRST have partnered to help FIRST teams get quality parts to build their robot. FIRST Teams start out with a number of “FIRST Choice” points that they can use to buy products through the AndyMark website. Find out more about this discount by reading FIRST’s explanation.
Still have questions about the hardware deals that we didn’t explain here? Want to add a site that we missed? Message us!
