Actual Postmortem
Tags: organizationPersonhours: 110
Nolan Tournament
Post-mortem
We have 1 weekend to get it right!
Iron Reign
INTRO
While we had a great tournament, we had major fails on the robot itself and still have a lot of room for presentation improvements. We have 2 weekends to fix everything and it does not seem like enough time. Since a majority of us were too tired to meet on Sunday (completely understandable), we need to do some of our post-mortem analysis online. So every team member must contribute to this document or at least read it. Be sure to check-in by adding your name to the bottom section. This is additive - you may not delete anything written by other team members.
PROCEDURE
- Read the entire document
- Add notes or add rows when you see anything missing from the review
- Add your initials in the VOTE column if you want to be part of the solution to the particular problem
- Sign-in at the bottom to show that you at least read the document
ROBOT - Chassis
ISSUE |
SUGGESTIONS / ALTERNATIVES |
VOTE |
|
Threw a track 1 time at tournament |
● Add side shields ● Add debris deflectors on beater end - 3Design for accuracy ● Experiment with alternate tread materials for longer-term |
Dylan Max |
|
Plow failed constantly |
● Make it a flat bar permanently affixed - leave it up to driver to not incur block count penalty (may not work with mountain climbing requirements) ● Redesign servo linkage so it doesn’t slide and can’t come apart ● Fix mounting to hinges with holes through steel so they won’t come apart ● Add taller aluminum plate to steel rod so blocks won’t hop over the plow |
Ethan Evan Max |
|
robot size |
● try to decrease length/width |
Jayesh |
ROBOT - CliffHanger
ISSUE |
SUGGESTION |
VOTE |
|
Elevation control servo burns out |
● Replace servo again ● Add another cheap servo to operate a switch that can disable the signal to the elevation servo at the end of the match so it doesn’t burn out while judges are counting up points. [Tycho’s idea] ● Replace servo with a regular Neverest motor and use PID control. Heavier and more complicated but unlikely to burn out. ● Investigate overheating of servo controller - maybe add a second servo controller. |
Omar Tycho |
|
Extension / retraction doesn’t work after autonomous |
● Figure out how to make motor mode switching work as advertized |
Tycho |
|
Need presets for Extension / Retraction |
● Tape ticks-per-meter already worked out. ● Measure common extensions for Mountain and Cliff targets ● Figure out which Mountain mode control buttons to use ● Continue manual override for strange situations |
Tycho, Omar, Darshan |
|
Need rapid replacement of entire system |
● Build second entire CliffHanger assembly including mounted motors. |
Trace |
ROBOT - BEATER BAR
ISSUE |
SUGGESTION |
VOTE |
|
Beater Bar didn’t fold up small enough |
● May need to go back to sliding mechanism. Install slide trigger and bungies ● Redesign smaller double bar assembly so it isn’t the full width of the robot (for super-regionals) ● Need a proper way to tuck it under the lowered trough before match start |
|
|
Trough control servo got all twitchy |
● Investigate health of servo. Replace with digital servo? |
Omar |
|
No “All Clear Signal” solution. This is the V on top of the mountain. |
● Trough, if it rotates more, could serve as a hanging lock and a way to pull down the V (all clear signal) |
Omar |
|
Blocks fall back into robot instead of out the side |
● HDPE backing for trough needs to be re-done so that it will make the blocks fall out the end when inverted. |
Evan |
|
Blocks get stuck on conveyor belt |
● Widen backing sheet (same fix as above) ● Make rollers to guide elastic drive belt around polycarb edges so the belt doesn’t get stuck. ● Cover outside of belt with rubber cement to increase friction with blocks |
Ethan |
|
Ramp doesn’t work |
● Design a working ramp and print it - should interleave with beater tines and create a raking effect to pull blocks up. ● May need overhead rake to guide blocks into trough - prevent overshoot |
Max |
ROBOT - DRIVER SUPPORT (reduce demands on driver)
ISSUE |
SUGGESTION |
VOTE |
|
Automatic Mountain Alignment |
● Add Sharp IR sensors for wall following ● Use IMU to maintain heading on mountains ● Enable mountain mode automatically based on IMU pitch ● Use huMoments to find lines in OpenCV and determine ramp center from that (long term) |
|
|
Automatic Mountain Scaling |
● Sync cliff-hanger retraction/extension with track motions ● Maintain manual override for abnormal situations |
Omar |
|
Direction toggle |
backwards and forwards |
Jayesh, Max |
|
Drive team |
● Make designated robot team, have subs, but one main squad. We tried to have different people but ended up with same team as last competition. If this works keep the team and have them practice together, otherwise make a permanent team with 1-2 subs when a person needs a break. |
Jayesh, Dylan, Omar |
ROBOT - AUTONOMOUS
ISSUE |
SUGGESTION |
VOTE |
|
We’ve never fully tested it |
● Make a schedule for practices with goals for each meeting (include specific number of times to run.) |
Lux |
|
Button pushing fails |
● Redesign pusher plate so spikes are less dense and probably a hexagonal array ● Add servo-based brake on tape so it can’t be pushed back into the reel ● Improve PID on color tracker |
|
|
Doesn’t have alternate modes |
● Mode to climb lower mountain ● Alternate starting location |
|
|
Pre-match option selection needs to be easy and fast |
● Driver Practice--brainstorm in vivo. |
|
ROBOT - Missing Features
ISSUE |
SUGGESTION |
VOTE |
|
No solution for triggering mountain climbers |
● Bar that extends to either side of the robot at the right height |
Omar, Darshan |
|
make depositing climbers happen even if in teleop |
● involves trough servo working I guess |
Omar |
PRESENTATION
ISSUE |
SUGGESTION |
VOTE |
|
Too much dependence on Jayesh and Lin |
● Move slides to other speakers ● practice q&a where everyone has designated topics to answer over |
Jayesh, Ethan |
|
Not very fluid |
● practice ● practice ● practice |
Everyone |
|
Optimize last half of slide desk |
● Give practice demo to non-team=members and ask for feedback. |
Jayesh |
|
Integrate live demo |
● how about a chin-up bar? ● Or show the video of the basketball hoop as you are speaking: memorable. |
Ethan Dylan |
|
Forgot to supply Control award sheet |
● Control award needs better graphic ● Autonomous program |
Dylan |
Tournament Prep & Protocols
ISSUE |
SUGGESTIONS |
|
|
Packing out for tournaments disorganized, items forgotten,people stressed |
● Generate a reusable checklist & post to blog. Classify categories/storage boxes. ● Designate boxes for specific items/categories and attach labels of contents ● Pack and prepare the night before ● Give each person specific assignments/responsibilities ● Have a master list of all boxes that need to be packed. |
Lux Dylan Lin |
|
Last minute journal printing |
● Deadline for journal 48 hours before the competition. |
Lin |
|
Battery maintenance haphazard |
● Develop a solid protocol ● Appoint a Charge Czar to be responsible for maintenance of batteries and tracking the battery charging box before and throughout tournament. |
Lin |
|
Develop a memorable brand or “team spirit” concept |
● Iron Reign as Roman Legion--develop a standard to carry into competition (probably for team in the stands) ● Update photos/banners to current year. ● aluminum foil hats (crowns) |
Darshan Alisa |
Check In
Name |
Sections I worked on |
|
Coach |
got it started |
|
Assistant Coach & Pizza chef Lux |
Organization/tournament |
|
Jayesh, Max, Lin |
mechanical+pres+robot team |
|
Ethan, Evan, Dylan |
Presentation, Beater Bar, Chassis |
|
Omar, Alisa, Trace |
cliffhanger, beater bar, driver support, missing features |
|
Darshan |
cliffhanger, missing features |
|
Tycho |
Cliff servo |