Engineering Notebook 2014

T.H.O.R.
TURBINE HAULING OPTIMAL ROBOT TEAM# 110 BEST ROBOTICS 2014

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2014 BEST ROBOTICS
ENGINEERING NOTEBOOK
T.H.O.R.
TEAM NUMBER: 110
VALLEY SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL
(870) 429-9243
T.H.O.R. TURBINE HAULING OPTIMAL ROBOT TEAM# 110 BEST ROBOTICS 2014

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION .............................................................
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ENGINEERING DESIGN
PROCESS ......................................................................
BRAINSTORMING APPROACHES ..............................
RESEARCH PAPER.
ANALYTICAL EVALUATION OF DESIGN
ALTERNATIVES .............................................................
Base/Platform Design ...................................................
Gear Assembly ..............................................................
Robotic Arm Design ......................................................
Programming .................................................................
Modifications and Failed Ideas .....................................
OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE EVALUATION ................
SUPPORT DOCUMENTATION AND RESEARCH .........


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I. INTRODUCTION
As the human endeavor proceeds through the centuries of time on Earth,
we encounter challenges that require creative solutions. Each day, bright
minds all over the world gather to brainstorm and solve world-wide problems.
Some of these bright minds are housed in classrooms, and some of the
brightest minds are housed at Valley Springs School. A degree or a diploma
does not constitute an education, it signifies learninglearning that began at
birth and progressed throughout life. Students at
Valley Springs are committed to learning, living
and inspiring excellence. The robotics team is a
cross-section of that excellence, working
diligently to solve everyday problems; working
diligently to solve the problems and challenges
presented by this years BEST Robotics program.
Welcome to project T.H.O.R. and meet the next
generation of scientists capable of changing the
world. These scientists have been assigned the
task to build a robot capable of piecing together
wind turbines quickly and efficiently. Wind
BEST: Boosting Engineering, Science,
and Technology, is a national 6-week
robotics competition i to help
interest middle school and high
school students in possible
engineering careers. n the United
States held each fall, designed
Technology is the making,
modification, usage, and knowledge
of tools, machines, techniques,
crafts, systems, methods of
organization, in order to solve a
problem
Mission: Sending out with authority
to perform a service.
Team: A group of people working
for a common cause.

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turbines are the next means of energy for humanity. Fossil fuels will soon run
dry, or become obsolete because of better energy sources such as wind
energy. We are the key to the survival of every being on Earth.

The Best Robotics Competition provides relevant, fun, and challenging
events that allow students to challenge themselves in the areas of Science,
Technology, Engineering and Math. Included are opportunities for
presentation & marketing, design and display, research and teamwork, all
under the supervision of a group of highly-qualified mentor coaches. Each
team prepares research-based notebooks, presentations, and displays to
market their robot. The challenge and fun lies in the ever-changing game
ruleseach year a new mission is assigned and students must again begin at
the beginning to accomplish a set mission.
Technology might be defined as, the making, modification, usage, and
knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems, methods of
organization, in order to solve a problem. BEST Robotics participants use a
variety of scarce and limited resources to meet project objectives. The
strategies employed in the game simulation are the same as those used in
industries throughout the world to accomplish company objectives.


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II. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS
The THOR Engineering team explored a variety of designs for a mission-
worthy robot. Initially, the greatest challenge for this team was allowing
everyone to have a voice and buy in to the mission goal, while eliminating
unusable ideas. One of the challenges of this team was to reach a
consensus on robot design. With several ideas presented during the first
team meeting, the group utilized a brainstorming approach to identify four
major game objectives:

Goal #1: Identify an engineering process the team can utilize to best
accomplish the mission
Goal #2: Allow all team members an opportunity for input
Goal #3: Identify workable ideas and solutions
Goal #4: Become comfortable with the mantra, modify and adjust
Once these four goals were identified, the search began for a process by which to
design and build a functioning robot as well as allow a wide range of students to work
on the other phases of competition required by the game simulation. Beginning with
internet searches and including visits with instructors, coaches, mentors and college
professionals, the team adopted the following process:


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Team THOR Engineering Design Process:

Ask and Imagine
The first team meeting was a brainstorming session to give all members an
opportunity to learn the game objectives and discuss design goals.
Questions were posed: What is the problem? What have others done?
What are constraints? What Are Possible Solutions? The team watched
YouTube videos to familiarize new members with robotics and view past
games. The present game field was drawn on a board to discuss game
strategy. This produced a wealth of input, with many worthwhile ideas.
(Photo, Appendix: A-1)
Ask
Imagine
Plan
Create
Test
Modify

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One of the difficulties with any team is getting all members on board to work
efficiently and effectively. This team is made up of approximately 20
members, ranging in age from 9
th
-12
th
grade. Some students worked as part
of their Gifted and Talented Program, some as part of math class, and others
as part of a pre-engineering program at the local community college.
Because the team is so diverse, the coaches did a team-building activity
using a hoola-hoop. This activity helped the team bond and to see the need
of all individuals working towards a common goal. It was also a good first
step in imagining how difficult a simple task can be if people do not work
together.

Plan
The team was divided into groups based on level of interest and expertise:
Method, Analysis and Documentation Team
Technical Design and Draw Team
Fabrication and Construction Team
Marketing and Media Team
Research and Development Team
Team practices were scheduled for three times each week, coaches
identified, and mentors contacted who might provide technical expertise.
(Photo, Appendix: B-1)

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Create
Based on ideas from the first meeting, the Technical Design & Draw Team
worked with the Fabrication and Construction Team to begin to develop ideas
for the base of the robot as well as an apparatus to transport wind turbine
parts. Preliminary drawings were done for platform and arm designs. The
Marketing and Media Team began to develop presentation media, focusing
on newly-relevant venues such as Twitter and Facebook. The Method,
Analysis and Documentation Team began to documents ideas, take pictures
and collect information for the Engineering Notebook. The Research and
Development Team focused on research related to the history and
construction of wind turbines, as they began to outline the research paper
portion of the notebook.
(Photo, Appendix A-2)

Improve
As design ideas and strategies were developed, many proved to be
unworkable and were discarded. With each idea and experiment,
improvements were made that allowed the robot to become more functional.
The specifics of these are discussed in greater detail in later sections. Mall
Day proved our intelligence had guided us the correct direction. A few minor
issues with the hook and weight distribution had to be corrected, but
disregarding those issues T.H.O.R. was practically flawless. Our robot could

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easily maneuver through the playing field. After our quick modifications
T.H.O.R. was able to accomplish its mission with perfection.
(Photo, Appendix B-2)
ii. BRAINSTORMING APPROACHES
After identifying the game objectives and watching a variety of YouTube
videos about robots, the moderator asked team members to engage in an
activity called brainwriting, in which each team member brainstormed
individually on paper/board. Following this activity, team members were
asked to contribute ideas. (Photo, Appendix A-3)

1. Robotics coach appointed a moderator to record ideas
2. Moderator re-defined the problem, stating objectives of the game
3. Asked for ideas resulting from brainwriting activity
4. Asked each person to find a way to expand on anothers idea

The question was posed: What will be required of our robot?

Push Gather
Pull Store
Press Rotate
Pluck Swivel


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III. ANALYTICAL EVALUATION OF DESIGN ALTERNATIVES
Frame
Thors frame is made out of wood due that it will not flex like metal, can easily
worked on, and was readily available. The group brainstormed what would be
the best way for the robot to move and build the base around that idea. The
Students decided the robot should mimic a zero turn mower concept; two
powered wheels in the back and have dead wheels or skids at the front. The
team chose to use PVC skids, deciding that these would offer the least
resistance. With this design the students could easily maneuver the robot with
only two motors and use two other form the up and down motion of the arm
and another to rotate Thors base. A rectangle would work perfectly for the
frame. Trimming of the frame will help with keeping the robot under the size
requirements. The students will have to guess and check after the arm is
completely assembled.
Rotating Base
The Base is essentially just a wooden circle atop a lazy susan, which is
the base for the tower that holds the tower. Why would the base be a circle?
The team decided that with a rotating arm, the robot wouldnt have to be
repositioned as much as the competition, giving us a slight advantage. At the
back of the robot a motor was placed with the wheel of a roller blade attached
to it. The wheel has friction tape wrapped around it repeatedly. The wheel is
positions to have pressure against the bottom of the circular base. When the
motor is actuated the roller skate wheel will turn, turning the circular base,

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turning the tower. The circular base has a stop that will hit the roller blade
wheel so the wires inside the tower that run to the programming devises will
not be twisted.
Robotic Arm
The arm of the robot was made to be as simple as possible, because the
more moving parts the robot had the more likely it was to malfunction at the
worst time. The arm is a solid piece of PVC with a servo on the end. A
threaded rod runs through the side of the tower, this is where the tower and
arm are mated. A series of nuts and washers allow the PVC to move up and
down but secure it to a firm pivot point. Toward the back of the PVC a piece
of threaded rod is run through the PVC. At this point there is a broad end
bearing that has a rod run through the bearing with a cotter pin just above
where the rod is through. This Rod runs down the tower to a motor with a
wheel, at the outer most part on the wheel there is a broad end bearing that
has the rod run through it. When the motor is turned the wheel is turned, and
as the wheel rotates the rod follows the wheel around and round. When the
bearing is at the top of the wheels rotation the rod is lifted and the arm drops.
When the bearing at the bottom of the wheels rotation, the rod pulls the back
of the PVC pipe down, moving the front of the arm up. The wheel is designed
like a mill.
Modified and Failed Ideas
After Mall Day the group realized the point at where the broad end bearing
was mounted would have to be made moved back from the tower so the rod

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would not have a large amount of torque and friction. This required re drilling
the whole where the arm mates to the tower. After this adjustment the motor
and wheel that move the rod to actuate the arm had to be adjusted. The
motor mount was moved up on the tower, and the wheel would have to be
enlarged to give the arm a full range of motion. The team was shooting for an
arm that could scrape the ground or lift itself to at least 18 inches. With more
PVC hanging off the back the team had to then trim some material off the
right side of the robot to allow it to meet the size requirements.

Programming
In the past, programming proved to be one of the greatest challenges to
overcome. This year, programming is a strength of the team due the extensive
knowledge and experience of our programmer. Given the choices between C and
Block programming, the team chose Block programming because it is both simpler
and faster. Essentially, function blocks provide an area where one might type in
information used to control the robot. One example might be an assignment, where one
can simply click on the assignment and drag and drop into the programming area.
Once the programmer double-clicks on the assignment block, a window opens where
coding occurs. This coding, when downloaded to the robot, commands the robot to
perform the required tasks.


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IV. OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE EVALUATION
During the past three years of the robotics competition, the team utilized a variety of
offensive and defensive strategies, most of which never factored into the success of the
robot or the collection of game points. Therefore the game strategy this year eliminated
the consideration of defensive strategies, with a focus solely on offense. One thing
experience has taught is that its not just about the robot, but also about the other team
members effectively participating. Thus, a secondary strategy was to get a wider
variety of individuals and competencies on board with the team. The team identified
two primary goals for the robot:
1) Arm capability
2) Mobility
Again, experience taught us that often the simplest task performed repeatedly
garnered the most points. Thus the final design, Secondary design strategies
addressed the mechanics of the arm and its ability to repetitively and efficiently retrieve
cargo.
RESEARCH: WIND TURBINES

Many dream of infinite sources of energy. Many dream of energy sources
that will not pollute Earths air and water. It seems humanity has discovered
such resources, and has begun to mass produce this energy. Actually, this
infinite source of energy, wind energy, has been used for centuries. Fossil
fuels worked so well that we just set aside our other energy sources, but we

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never realized how much damage it was doing to the environment. Once
scientists like Claire Patterson, who also discovered the age of the Earth,
discovered carbon levels were far greater now than anytime before.
Scientists realized we are slowly destroying our home. As the rest of the
world began to see this, new energy sources began to immerge. One of
these sources just so happened to be the wind.
Windmills have been in use since 2000 B.C. and were first developed in
Persia and China. Ancient mariners sailed to distant lands by making use of
winds. Farmers used wind power to pump water and for grinding grains.
Windmills are the predecessors of the new giant wind turbines that generate
electricity. Wind turbines power cities and homes. They are far more
complicated than the old windmills, but they both capture wind to produce
energy. The largest turbines can harness energy to power six hundred
American homes. These turbines form wind farms and hundreds are
arranged in lines in windy spots like a ridge. A small turbine in the backyard
you can easily power a small business or a home. A wind farm is a collection
of wind turbines in the same location. Many wind farms provide rental income
to rural communities where they are situated. Wind energy is valued because
it is a clean source of energy and causes minimal pollution. Operational costs
are minimal after the erection of turbines. Mass production and advances in
technology are making turbines cheaper than never before. Wind energy is
also receiving subsidies and benefits from governments keen to popularize
this clean source of energy. Wind energy is underutilized as of now and

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holds tremendous potential for the future. Though there has been 25%
increase in wind turbine use in the last decade, wind energy still provides only
a small percentage of the energy of the world. In time they could potentially
power the whole planet, but that would be illogical since we also have solar
power.
Of course, wind turbines have a few downsides. Wind is unpredictable and
the availability of wind energy is not constant. Wind energy is therefore not
well suited as a base load energy source. If we had cost effective ways of
storing wind energy the situation would be different. The cost-
competitiveness of wind power is highly debatable. Both utility-scale wind
farms and small residential wind turbines typically rely heavily on financial
incentives. This is to give wind power a fair chance in the fierce competition
against already established energy sources such as fossil fuels and coal.
Wind turbines also have a slight threat to wild life. Birds, bats, and other
flying creatures have slim chances of surviving when taking a direct hit from a
rotating wind turbines blade. However, some environmentalists have blown
this issue way out of proportions.
One would imagine giant wind turbines would be a huge hassle to put
together. However, its actually quite the opposite. All you need is a way of
transporting the giant pieces, such as tractor trailer, boat, and even certain
helicopters are capable of doing so. You also need a way to put them
together, which would be a relatively complex, reinforced pulley system, or a
simple crane. Finding more efficient ways to build turbines is definitely time

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well spent though, and there just so happens to be a team of scientists doing
just that at this very moment. We are the valley robotics team, and we
believe wind turbines will lead mankind to the next stage of the human
endeavor.
SAFETY GUIDELINES
The following is a set of general safety rules and regulations that team members were
familiar with. Though all members were trained in safety procedures, only three were
Safety Certified, having successfully passed safety testing at either Valley Springs
School or North Arkansas College. Only those three students were allowed to operate
any of the power equipment. This significantly reduced risks for injury and aided in the
coaches ability to supervise the team.
I. State of Mind: Do not operate power tools when you are ill, taking strong
medications, fatigued of consuming alcoholic beverages.
II. Wear Proper Clothing for Working: Do not wear loose-fitting clothing or jewelry
that can get caught in moving parts. Roll up long sleeves. Do not wear highly
flammable clothing. Do not wear sandals, open-toe shoes or canvas shoes. Always
wear shoes that will protect your feet.
III. Protect Your Eyes, Face, and Head: Always wear safety glasses to protect your
eyes from harm. (The Z87.1 logo ensures that they are impact resistant.) Wear a face
shield if you are working around flying particles during the machining process. Wear
appropriate face and clothing protection for the work being conducted, such as
welding. Always pull back long hair to keep it from getting caught.
(Photo, Appendix: (B-3)

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IV. Avoid Distractions: Always keep your mind focused on the work you are doing.
Never take your eyes off operating machinery. Doing unnecessary things while
working can lead to accidents. If you become distracted, always make sure that you
turn off any equipment that is in use.
V. Keep Work Area Clean: Make sure to keep the floor free of oil and scraps to avoid
accidents. Keep your hands, tools and storage spaces dry to prevent accidents. Do
not stand in water when operating any type of machinery.
VI. Use Correct Tools for Intended Job: Do not use a tool for an operation it is not
designed to do. Choose the right tool for the job and material you are working on. This
will save time, improve the quality of work and reduce the risk of mishaps. If
necessary, refer to the instructions or find an expert on the tool if you are not sure how
to use it.(Photo, Appendix B-4)
VII. Working with Metal: When working with metal, make sure the metal is secured with
clamps to keep it from moving.
VIII. Work Only At Operating Speed: Do not use a tool at a speed it is not
recommended to operate. Never force a tool to do a job it is not supposed to do or
apply unnecessary force. Never force an object to stop or into motion.
(Photo, Appendix B-5)
IX. Upkeep of Tools: Always clean tools before putting them away. Never use tools that
are broken. Only use tools for their intended purpose.
X. Repairing and Cleaning Power Tools: Always turn off and unplug tools and
machinery before (a) adjusting, oiling, cleaning or repairing it; (b) attaching and
accessory; or (c) changing bits, blades or grinding wheels. Always unplug tools and

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machinery and put them away when not in use. Carefully unplug cords by holding the
plug: do not tug or pull on the cord.(Photo, Appendix B-6)

V. SUPPORT DOCUMENTATION
CAD DRAWING DESCRIPTIONS

Figure 1: SolidWorks Drawing of Stabilizer Assembly

Figure 2: SolidWorks Drawing of Hub

Figure 3: Finished Robot


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APPENDIX
A-1:

A-2:

A-3:


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B-1: B-4:

B-2: B-5:

B-3: B-6:

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