Bridge Design Challenge

Bridge Design Challenge

Our team consisted of Connor, Corin, Lauren, and Me. The bridge building design took many revisions. We started out building two main pieces and connecting them with angled supports. We then copied that design and built supports between the two sides. The first design held around 400 batteries before it broke. Then we revamped it adding more supports, at about the weight of two batteries it held around 1200!!! That showed a 1:600 ratio while following the constraints. Unfortunately we are missing the one person who has pictures, however we do have pictures of cats.(and a sketch i guess)

Marble Sorter

Teammates: Quinn, Lauren, and Connor

Organize it!: Title your post and organize it by section in a logical manner. 

Cha-Ching Cha-Ching!!

Brainstorm!: Provide at least four of your team’s brainstorming ideas for the design solution. This should include brainstorming sketches. Each sketch should include labels and descriptions for communication.

CAD!: 
Use our Inventor CAD software to model a prototype or your final design. Post screenshots of your model.

Enter the Matrix: Evaluate your solution ideas (4 minimum) using a decision matrix. Determine the best solution to the problem. Explain your rating system and share insight on why you rated your solutions as you did.




 
Design solution: Create a detailed pictorial sketch or use 3D modeling software to document the best solution, based upon your team’s decision matrix. Your sketch or 3D model should include a rationale for the design ted as the final design solution. Each sketch should include labels and descriptions for communication.

Reflection: In our teams experience of building and programming the marble sorter what went well was the process in which we built and then programmed the hardware. We were very efficient in putting together a solution to the task and to any problems we encountered. We also quickly made the program for the marble sorter in a timely manner. What went wrong was the the program was never without flaw. There was constantly a problem in the encoding that we needed to solve.

Product Achievements:
Sorting Speed (15 marbels total: at least 3 different types):
Process 15 marbles in less than 2:00 minutes. 
Process 15 marbles in less than 1:45 minutes.
Process 15 marbles in less than 1:30 minutes.
Process 15 marbles in less than 1:15 minutes.
Process 15 marbles in less than 1:00 minute.
Process 15 marbles in less than 45 seconds.
Process 15 marbles in less than 30 seconds.


Marble Sorting (Must sort at least 3 types. More than 3 types earns you a multiplier on your Sorting Speed achievements):
Sort 4 marble types = 2 x earned Sort Speed Achievements.
Sort 5 marble types = 3 x earned Sort Speed Achievements


Marble Delivery (may use non-fischertechnik materials to create a "hopper" to drop marbles into for "Drop" achievements):
Drop marbles from 6" above machine 
Drop marbles from 1' above machine
Drop marbles from 2' above machine

Robotics

Robotics Challenge 

utonomous Challenge 01 - "Straight Line" race

• Create an autonomous vehicle with Lego Robotics parts (task) in order so that it will traverse a 3ft straight line course. This activity serves as an intro/familiarization to your Lego Robotics kits (purpose).
• Design, build, document and share your solution.

Autonomous Challenge 02 - "Bent" course race

• Modify your design so that it can navigate a course with a turn in it (see layout at the back of the room). This change is designed to make you implement a solution that requires some sort of sensor input.
• Design, build, document and share your solution.

Share your experience to this point on your online portfolio:

• The team of Corin, Connor, Quinn, and Lauren, designed and built a Lego robot which traversed multiple courses. The design was small and quite maneuverable enabling it to achieve the fastest time in both of the obstacle courses. 

• Challenge Review

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• Course 1
• Our video demonstrates the robot in action on the first course. It preformed significantly well enabling us to hold the first place position for the entire challenge. No modifications except wire holders were required.

• Course 2
• We have no photos of the second course, however, our robot preformed exceedingly well and attempted the bonus section containing a triple curve track. While most went for the longer two turns, we did quite well in the triple shorter track. 

Project 3.1.7 Machine Control Design

Using RoboPro Software and Fischertechnik parts, create a program and build a design to solve two of the problems.

We chose to create something to solve problems #1 and #5

Problem 1: Start / Finish Line (Hardware Level 1 Software Level 4) 

The Olympic committee would like your team to invent a control system for use with 

track and field running events. They want this device to automatically record the time 

and beep when the first runner crosses the start / finish line.

This was our program.

This was our design build.

We had two separate tracks and a segment of program for each track. The motors would go backwards until it hit the switch on the side of each track. Once they both were stopped at the starting line, the center switch was pressed to start the race. The center switch started the timer and both motors. At the end of each track was a lamp and a photo-resistor. When one of the motors passed between the lamp and photo-resistor the light will be blocked and that will trigger the timer to stop as well as the motor.

The video is kind of blurry when the computer screen is shown. We basically were showing that the timer had started and when the first motor blocked the timer stopped at 116 seconds to show the winning time.

Problem 5: Elevator (Hardware Level 4 Software Level 4)

A company would like to begin producing residential elevators. Your team must design the control system and a prototype of an elevator that can go between three floors in any combination. The prototype must include a set of three switches to represent each floor inside the elevator. Each floor the elevator stops at must have a call button and a set of three lights to indicate where the elevator is currently located. 

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Activity 3.1.6 Opened and Closed Loop Systems

Procedure

Activity Part I

1. Build the support system and track
2. Add the motor and gearbox to the track and then wire the motor
3. Write a program that will shuttle the motor back and forth 1.5 seconds each way 20 times

Activity Part II

1. Place a mini switch on both ends of the support system and track. Wire the switches to I1 and I2. 
2. Write a program that will shuttle the motor back and forth five times based on feedback from when the switches are pressed.

Activity Part III

1. Remove the mini switches. Add the smaller building blocks to the ends of the gearbox and motor. Use the larger building blocks to create extensions from the track on each end. Add covered lamps to the extensions using smaller building blocks on one side of the track. Using the same attachment method, place a phototransistor across from one lamp and a photocell across from the other.
2. Write a program that will shuttle the motor back and forth five times using the phototransistor and photocell for feedback.

Activity 3.1.5 Variable Functions

Activity 3.1.5 Variable Functions

Procedure

1. Create a program that will control how many times the lamp will turn on and off

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Activity 3.1.4 Branch Fuctions

1. Create program with two switches so that they will turn on a lamp when one switch is pressed and turn off the lamp when the other switch is pressed
2. Run the program 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYsLXlqJkvU

1. Wire the potentiometer and turn it counter-clockwise until it stops
2. Test it: the box next to the input reading became checked and unchecked and the number switched between 1 and 0.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZcF6k1dc5E

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Activity 3.1.3 Basic Programing

Procedure

1. Construct a flowchart that will turn a motor on and off. Using RoboPro software.
2. Test the system to see if your flowchart performs as written.

Part I:

• Start program
• Make motor start
• Insert time delay for 3 seconds
• Motor resumes
• Make motor stop
• End program

Part II:

• Start program
• Make motor start
• Run 2 seconds
• Stop for 2 seconds
• Run for 2 seconds
• Make motor stop
• End program

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Activity 3.1.2 Flowcharting

Shape Meanings

Procedure #1

Procedure #2

Procedure #3

• How is flowcharting similar to using a map to plan a route for a trip?

             You reach landmarks which you then decide where the next one is. Enabling quick successful stops until you reach the target location.

• Describe a process that you perform every day. Develop a flowchart that illustrates the process.

Making Toast

Activity 3.1.1 Inputs and Outputs

This activity was used as an introduction to our future robotic projects, and getting an understanding of how inputs and outputs work in both analog and digital formats.

We used Fischertechnik components including: Interface, power supply, and USB cable, RoboPro software, and some complete wires

Everything is plugged in

Testing different things with RoboPro