The Build Season

Overview

  • Now that you have a team structure in place, it’s time to get started
  • For most of you, this is the largest project you have undertaken
  • There is a hard deadline – Ship Date
  • The only way to succeed is to manage your time effectively

Timeline - The Beginning

  • Build season – 6 weeks and 3 days
    • You must stay on schedule. There’s no time to fall behind
  • Week 1
    • Brainstorming – Days 1-4
    • Design Freeze – Day 5
      • Established robot design
      • Mobility system frozen
        • Frozen means no more changes!!
      • General ideas for all mechanisms
  • Mechanism Prototyping – Days 5-8
  • Build Drive System – Days 5-14

Timeline – The Middle

  • Week 2
    • Mechanism Build – Days 8-21
    • Programmers Begin Coding – Day 8
      • Can & should start pseudo-coding earlier
    • Robot Controls – Days 8-14
    • Drive System Complete – Day 14
      • Having the robot moving early is crucial!!
  • Week 3
    • Begin Autonomous Testing – Day 15
      • Most FIRST autonomy only involve the chassis

Timeline – The End

  • Week 4
    • Mechanism Integration – Days 22-28
      • Wiring is not a quick job
  • Weeks 5-6
    • Robot Done – Day 29
    • Testing & Perfecting – Days 29-40
      • Not as easy as it sounds
      • Weight Reduction
    • Driver Training – Days 29-40
      • “Practiced drivers make bad robots win, and unpracticed drivers make good robots lose”

Timeline – Loose Ends

  • The Last Few Days
    • Decorations
    • Parts Inventory
    • Photographs
    • Packing The Crate
    • Celebration
  • General Tips
    • Perfectionism can kill the schedule
      • “Never let perfectionism get in the way of getting a good job done”
    • Your real lives are more important than FIRST!
      • Your family and marks come FIRST!
        • “All robots and no sleep make Johnny go crazy”