Freight Frenzy 2021-2022 Meeting #2

 Meeting 2

DATE : 10/2/2021

Agenda: Welcome New Members, Review Challenge and plan Strategy

Attendees: Coach Cynde, Sean Pakros, Jessica Hawkinson, Skyler Firestone, Beck Reichmuth, Zeke Humber and Nate Humber

Objectives: Game Strategy, Team Goals, Fundraising

Notes: We welcomed our new teammates, had everyone introduce themselves, and watched the challenge video together.

Sponsorship - we sent out 10 letters requesting sponsorship to local businesses that have sponsored our team in the past. Team members are also taking letters to give to their families and businesses they know.

For fundraising this year, we want to do a t-shirt sale with a simple design that promotes robotics. We’re thinking: Elk Heart Robot. We will talk to Grace about the design and look at shirts. We want Elkton colors.

Game Strategy Discussion:

Shipping Element - We gain bonus points if our shipping element is used for the barcode and it’s easier access to have it placed on the field. It could be similar in shape to the field elements so that it can be lifted in the same manner. It can be reflective to scan the location. We can make it yellow to use a color sensor to read it.

Shipping element needs to be minimum 3x3x4h” to maximum 4x4x8h”.

Autonomous:

Do both pieces score, duck and block? Need to consult rules.

Do we park in the storage unit? Yes - spin the carousel, score freight element and park in storage unit. In opposite side, should you just score as many freight as possible and park? Robot must be able to grab easily and score then.

Driver Control:

Need to score as many elements as possible while balancing Alliance Hub and teetering Shared Shipping Hub in your alliance’s direction.

End Game:

Shared Shipping Hub unbalanced towards your alliance and Alliance Freight Hub balanced and caped with team freight piece

Robot:

Must be able to drive around rails 13” or able to drive over. Height of wheels may need to be changed. Add center wheels?

Arm needs to reach over 20” to cap the hub.

We discussed advantages of cup intake versus claw grabber versus magnetic. Arm needs to be able to collect lift and deposit. We looked at some previous mechanisms from other teams. Nate likes elevator lifts with a brush intake and thinks these can be effective. We debate effectiveness and decide that we will ray to design and mock one up to test effectiveness versus a claw design.

We end the meeting by setting out some mats and letting team members try driving the robot to understand how the mechanum wheels function, why the older members like them, and if they can drive over the rails. The robot drove over the rails pretty well but with some difficulties. Is it too lightweight?