Robot Breaks in Fourth Match; Team Finishes 35th of 40 in Qualification Matches at Auburn Mountainview March 3-5

SUMMARY: Our competition robot "Ironwood" broke down in qualification match 24.  Both tank tread bearings failed; we did not have spares. We plan to replace the tread with (8) six inch diameter tires. Three of the six robots in the final championship match at Auburn Mountainview used the 8 x 6" pneumatic wheel configuration.  The team's heart broke when we discovered we could not repair the robot in time to compete in another qualification match.  The team competed with a human player in eight of the nine other qualification matches (without a robot) and finished 35th in a field of 40 teams.  In 2015 with a functioning robot, Team 5295 finished 31st out of 32 teams. The team is upbeat about repairing our robot.  The team will begin continue repairing the robot on Thursday, March 10th in robot shop room 809.  Team 5295 did not win any awards. 

ATTENDING: Ten students and seven adult mentors attended. Students: Brayden (Pit Team), Brooklyn (Graphics Lead), Guy (Drive Team), Hunter (Programming Lead & Drive Team), Isaac (first year), Jaeden (Drive Team, Pit Chief, & Build Captain), Jonathan (first year), Juan (Pit Team), Kiery (Drive Captain & Team Captain), and Tyler (Safety Captain).  Mentors: K.Hansen, A.Hospador, G.Inman, Je.Ordonez, Jo.Ordonez, A.Walker, and Coach Wright.

EVENT RESULTS: http://frc-events.firstinspires.org/2016/WAAMV 
The team went 0-4 with the robot and 4-3 without it for an overall record of 4-7.

UNBAG, WEIGHT & SIZE: Upon arriving at Auburn Mountainview High on Day 1 Thursday, the robot inspectors allowed students to unbag our competition robot "Ironwood" asking them to return when the robot frame was fully attached. The robot perimeter measured 118.75" < 120" maximum requirement (rule Robot03). "Ironwood" weighed 95 pounds < 120 pound maximum requirement (rule Robot20).  Brooklyn (with help from Juan and 1.5 other team members)  created a reversible red/blue bumper that weighed 10.8 pounds < 20 pound maximum requirement (rule Robot05). 

ROBOT INSPECTION: This is an iterative process. After our initial inspection, the team needed to: touch-up bumper color; fix the boulder motor slippage; update the drive station software; check the arm motor; install the plexi-glass; check all the electrical wires for any disconnects; and grease gears. The pit team included Jaeden (Pit Chief), Hunter, Isaac, Juan, Kiery, and Tyler.  By the end of evening on Day 1 (pits closed at 9:30PM), we had only to add some red and blue gaffers tape to make the bumper colors uniform, and complete a parts list (PL).  Engineering firms call this a parts list, last year FIRST called it a bill of materials (BOM). This year FIRST calls it a Cost Accounting Worksheet (CAW).  Whatever you call it, it simply documents what components (in addition to the Kit of Parts) the team used to build the robot. A.Walker provided a dinner of sandwiches (turkey, ham, and swiss) and fruit in the high school cafeteria. In the morning of Day 2, Brayden joined the pit team.  Kiery coordinated with robot inspector K.Luthy to pass robot inspection.

SCOUTING: While the pit team made final adjustments to "Ironwood" on Day 1, Kiery and Jaeden organized a scout survey.  In a visit to each pit, our students asked students from other teams whether their robot could make low goals, high goals, climb the tower, or overcome obstacles.  On the morning of Day 3, Guy shared that most of the robots had difficulty with the three gates: Portcullis (A1); Drawbridge (C1); and Sally Port (C2).  A.Walker notes that teams also had difficulty with the Cheval de Frise (A2) and the Rough Terrain (D2).  In the final match of the two best alliances, robots sped across the Moat (B1) and Rock Wall (D1),

DRIVE TEAM: Team Captain Kiery organized the drive team: Guy (human player); Hunter (programming); Jaeden (joystick driver); and Kiery (drive captain). After "Ironwood" broke down, Guy and Brayden represented the team as our Human Player.  This allowed the team to receive the points that the two robot alliance won, including wins.  The team went 0-4 with the robot and 4-3 without it for an overall record of 4-7.

MATCH 6: During our initial match (a 32-55 loss), the right tread fell off. The pit team repaired this and "Ironwood" was ready to go for our third match.

MATCH 9: The pit team could not repair the tread in time for the match start. Guy attended as the Human Player. We lost the match 5-66.  We did pick up five points helping our averages.  Without the human player we would receive zero points and an automatic loss no matter what our alliance did. 

MATCH 18: We lost our third match 55-83. Jaeden successfully drove over the Rock Wall (D1) defense and parked at the tower. Our driver Jaeden lost sight of the robot when it went behind a tall obstacle. Hunter figured out how to give a camera feed to our drivers station.

MATCH 31: We lost our fourth match 12-55, shortly after the left tread became loose and fell off.  The pit crew determined that two small bearings failed, one each side.

REPAIR: The pit team felt the best repair would be to replace the tread with pneumatic wheels. While Team 5295 did not bring our 6" pneumatic wheels with us, we felt sure that another team did.  It was also likely that the machine shop would be able to make some parts for us.  The machine shop also probably had some raw material we could use.  Build mentor K.Hansen felt that the quickest repair involved machining the six required plates in his Shelton garage and getting the pneumatic wheels from our robot cage at Shelton High.  He, Coach Wright, Brayden, Jaeden, and Juan returned to Shelton late afternoon on Day 2.

RULE  R18: A.Mendes, a lead robot inspector that trained A.Walker as a robot inspector, dropped our pit for a visit. Mendes pointed out that rule R18 allows 30 pounds of pre-fabricated parts only at load-in. "The WITHHOLDING ALLOWANCE may only be brought into the Venue when the Team initially loads in at the Event. Items made at an Event do not count towards this weight limit." Our plan to make parts in Shelton and install them on the robot is illegal per R18.

MATCH PLAY WITH HUMAN PLAYER (NO ROBOT):
Q31: 12-56 loss as Red2.
Q37: 65-52 WIN as Blue1.
Q43: 30-74 loss as Blue 2.
Q49: 67-62 WIN as Red2.
Q57: No human player. Loss; 0 points. A.Walker insisted we go to dinner.
Q62: 65-64 WIN as Blue2. (Saturday)
Q67: 90-86 WIN as Red2. (Saturday)
Q73: 59-84 loss as Blue1. (Saturday)

AWARDS: given during the 3PM-4PM ceremony. Congratulations to:
Chairman's Award (sustained good citizenship)---Team 2557 SOTAbots
Engineering Inspiration Award---Team 3786 Chargers
Champions (1st Place Alliance)---Team 1983 Skunkworks (#1 seed),
   Team 3238 Cyborg Ferrets (#3 seed) & Team 3786 Chargers (#32 seed)
Finalist Award (2nd Place Alliance)---Team 2046 Bear Metal (#2 seed),
   Team2522 RoyalRobotics(#12seed)&Team5937 MI-Robotics(#25seed)
Industrial Safety Award---Team 3238 Cyborg Ferrets
Industrial Design Award---Team 2046 Bear Metal
Highest Rookie Seed Award---Team 5803 Apex Robotics
Reinvent the Wheel Award---Team 2605 Sehome Seamonsters
Rookie All Star Award---Team 5827 Code Purple
Rookie Inspiration Award---Team 5803 Apex Robotics
Entreneurship Award---Team 5588 Holy Names Academy (Reign)
Spirit Award---Team 4450 Olympia Robotics Federation
Excellence in Engineering Award---Team 4131 Iron Patriots
Gracious Professionalism Award---host Team 2907 Lion Robotics
Creativity Award---Team 2522 Royal Robotics
Quality Award---Team 1983 Skunk Works Robotics
Innovation in Control---Team 4469 Raider Artificial Intelligence Division
Imagery Award---Team 3238 Cyborg Ferrets
Dean's List---Kaylie P. Team 3787 Wild Robotocats (our sister 4-H team)
Woodie Flowers (Top Mentor) Award---P.Cook Team 4450 & six others