2013 Southeast Pennsylvania FTC Regional Qualifying Tournament

Teleoperated portion of qualification match 8

We went (3-2-0) in qualifiers, finishing as 10^th seed in a field of 20 teams. We were not selected for eliminations, nor did we win any awards.

We did, however, learn a lot. Had fun too!

What worked

We did
Inspection
Drive-train
Stability - even with battery mounted at the lower arm axis
Getting on the ramp in autonomous
Flag raising (w/ original broken & repaired flag raiser) - new flag raiser is too flexible

Hanger - pinned the 5/8" tubing, but the set screws did not hold the steel shaft
Block collection & scoring - we were a very low-yield block scorer
- Collection very difficult
- We generally collect 1 or 2 blocks (never 4)
- beater bar does not stay on
- collected blocks are frequently lost (esp with beater bar off)
- ejected blocks sometimes miss baskets; lost score

Hanger
- Explore alternative approaches
- Center arm on top tube with independent rotation and spring-loaded lift?
- If we keep this approach:
  - Need to key the steel drive shaft - and if possible increase the shaft diameter - Maybe hardened steel shaft
  - Hooks should probably be reversed & lowered; back up to engage
  - Latex tubing "springs" can assist lift once shafts are secured
  - Current hooks higher than they need to be
  - Alignment seems reasonably straightforward
Block collector
- Ability of arm to travel past straight up and to score on opposite side would speed scoring as the robot would not need to turn around
  - Requires "losing" the 4-bar arm (maybe)
- Explore alternative approaches
Lego autonomous dumper
- Seems to show promise
- Consider a servo replacement?