Off Season 2024

After every match, the most important thing our team does is debrief. We go over what went well, but more importantly, the big question is what can be improved. Data Analytics is our advanced off-season project that works to answer that question. We can track faults in our robot by logging data from its many sensors during matches. For example, if our robot stops working during a match, taking a quick look at the logs can help us understand which specific subsystem malfunctioned, giving actionable data that our pit crew can execute. A robot generates a lot of data, but not all of it is important in diagnosis. We went around and spoke to every one of our robot subteams asking what data was important to log. Additionally, by logging how each aspect of the robot performs during a match, respective subteams can address faults in their design. If something does not show up as working correctly, we can view these issues before they later affect the robot as a cascading error.  To figure out how to  create our logging system, we did research into multiple different preexisting logging libraries, including readdressing our Log Manager application from last year. We decided to adapt from Team 581’s Dog Log and integrate it into our current Log Manager. Through spikes [...]

This is the third year we have worked on the vision project. In the 2022-2023 season, we started the project and wrote code for pose estimation using April Tags. In 2023-2024, we mostly focused on improving the accuracy of our pose estimation, but we also started working on object detection. Our pose estimation was accurate enough to shoot into the speaker by the competition, but our object detection was not functional enough to use the competition. This year, we are mostly focusing on object detection. The first step is imaging the Jetson Orin Nano that we plan to use since we currently need help finding the one we used last year. We encountered several problems imaging it and installing all of the necessary libraries, but we eventually finished. Our code runs but gets about 7 or 8 frames per second. We are currently trying to improve our framerate, and then we plan to mount a camera on our test robot to create and tune an algorithm to help the driver intake a game piece. We are also training a practice model. Since FIRST released that there will be two different game pieces next year, we decided to use cones and cubes from 2023 for our model. So far, we have taken hundreds of pictures of the objects and [...]

One of our off-season advanced projects is creating a cascade elevator. We previously made a continuous elevator for the 2023 Charged Up season, and we hope to expand our knowledge on creating robust elevators for the future. An elevator has been an important system used to achieve game tasks by many top teams in the past. An elevator is often used to manipulate game pieces to a raised position or to climb during the end game. Having an elevator allows for more scoring opportunities to gain an advantage during competition. Compared to a continuous elevator, a cascade elevator is faster due to the simultaneous movement of stages and has a consistent carriage motion, while being simpler to rig.  Going into the project, we set a goal to create an angle-adjustable 2-stage cascade elevator that can extend 4 feet in ~1 second and be able to lift the robot 2 feet off the ground. To learn about creating an elevator for the build season, we aimed to make the elevator fully functional on one of our swerve drivetrains to understand the process from start to finish. Due to our goal of creating an adjustable elevator, used a 7/8in diameter dead-axle tube mounted on an adjustable plate on the swerve drive base. The angle can then be fine-tuned with the carbon fiber [...]

One of our advanced projects for the 2024 offseason is building a turret. This is a new subsystem for our team that we’ve never made before, so it was a steep learning curve for everyone involved in the project. Having a turret allows a greater range of motion and faster aiming and scoring, giving our robots more versatility and making scoring more efficient. Last year in Crescendo, many of the top teams had turrets, which gave them an edge in competitions. In previous years beyond that, there were several instances where having a turret gave teams a huge advantage over others. Our team decided to take two approaches to the project. Since this is our first time building a turret, we wanted to have a  model for us to design our own. As a result, we purchased the GreyT turret from West Coast Products and then used the design philosophy of that turret to design our version from scratch, which would give us greater flexibility and freedom for design. The manufacturing process went well, but due to issues with assembly, backordered parts, and our project lead leaving the team, we decided to scrap the project and work with the GreyT turret instead, since it would be easier to assemble and test. Assembly went well, with only a few [...]

Welcome back! We are halfway through the Fall Season and we have been very productive in many projects and finishing tasks by the deadlines. Our year started with Provisional Council (PC) meetings, where students selected by last year’s seniors and team managers planned the kickoff with presentations, workshops, and subteam selections. On the first day, we welcomed new members, reconnected with teammates, and honored the 11 graduating seniors. The first week focused on introducing new students to our community, rules, and expectations, with presentations and activities like scavenger hunts and engineering competitions. These helped us discover the talents and passions of new members while reconnecting with returning students. Our Subteams:  While team managers selected the new LC, students focused on subteam assignments. We welcomed 16 new first-year students, who initially had no subteam. They received a detailed tour, heard from returning students about their subteams, and learned about Programming (Software), CAD, Machining (Manufacturing), and Control Systems (Electrical and Driver Controls). Afterward, they selected their preferred subteams, and senior students carefully assigned them based on skills, experience, and space. After subteam members were announced, subteam training was a go! Our new LC immediately started teaching the first-years the fundamentals, and our veteran students a review of last year. Curious minds were at work, eagerly working hard and learning. Programming: [...]

Iron Claw Robotics is all geared up for the 2024 - 2025 FRC season with sixteen new first years! We started the year off strong with a weekend workshop, having five 45-minute stations designed to teach newer members the basics of different robotics subteams. Getting familiar with the different sections allows members to see what the subteams are in charge of and decide what they might be interested in working on.  The first of the stations involved the electrical board and pneumatic systems that we use on our competition robots. A thorough presentation covering the parts of an electrical board gave students a better understanding of the inner workings of a competition robot.  Next, in our metal shop, students learned how to use the drill press, deburr, and rivet through the demonstration and guidance of senior students. The new students also got a brief overview of how our CNC machine works, and enjoyed the hands-on tasks. The drilling station was especially important this year, given our problems with students not knowing how to use drills and drivers properly in previous years. Students practiced drilling holes, learned the difference between drills and drivers, and discovered where they can find the right equipment when they’re working. The station also covered using circular saws, which will be useful for prototyping [...]