1. First Year Rookie Team Experiences Team 2051

2. Plan in Advance Make teams or groups Make teams or groups Suggest leaders Suggest leaders HELP OR GET OUT! HELP OR GET OUT! K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid)

3. Brainstorm Have students select and work toward ideas. While the PDU is being fabricated. Have students select and work toward ideas. While the PDU is being fabricated. Have them adhere strictly to the wire gauges and fuse sizes. Have them adhere strictly to the wire gauges and fuse sizes. Plan for any additional electrical parts you may need. Plan for any additional electrical parts you may need. Be sure to consider ALL ideas Be sure to consider ALL ideas

4. Rules Be sure to follow the rules as closely as possible. You do not want to be sent home for an oversight. Be sure to follow the rules as closely as possible. You do not want to be sent home for an oversight.

5. Robot Power Distribution Assemble the PDU so you can test PWM’s and Relay Drivers. Assemble the PDU so you can test PWM’s and Relay Drivers. Build and Use testbed Build and Use testbed

6. Be prepared to Give Up Control Remember there will be many experts working with you. They are all volunteers. You need to keep a staff, so remember your ego needs to be small to fit them all under one roof. Remember there will be many experts working with you. They are all volunteers. You need to keep a staff, so remember your ego needs to be small to fit them all under one roof. Otherwise, you may become a mentor team of one. Otherwise, you may become a mentor team of one.

7. Programming and Building If you want to do the autonomous portion of the competition, you will need to try to have two prototypes running. One can be in the build stage while the other is in programming. If you want to do the autonomous portion of the competition, you will need to try to have two prototypes running. One can be in the build stage while the other is in programming. As a new team we did not have that luxury last year, and the build became tough. As a new team we did not have that luxury last year, and the build became tough. Start building AFTER you have done plenty of BRAINSTORMING Start building AFTER you have done plenty of BRAINSTORMING Programming will be tougher than it looks Programming will be tougher than it looks

8. The Mechanical Build When there are mechanical problems, what happens with electronic and programming portion during this time? When there are mechanical problems, what happens with electronic and programming portion during this time? Make it stronger than you think will be needed. Make it stronger than you think will be needed. OVER KILL!!! OVER KILL!!!

9. Engineering Journal and Engineering Design Review It is important for the students to maintain daily engineering journals. It is important for the students to maintain daily engineering journals. As the students break into teams, each team needs to submit a daily report, and these reports should be compiled daily (mail merge) As the students break into teams, each team needs to submit a daily report, and these reports should be compiled daily (mail merge) Each team should compile design reviews, and the team leaders will need to collaborate with the project leader to compile a project design review. Each team should compile design reviews, and the team leaders will need to collaborate with the project leader to compile a project design review. Build follow Gantt Charts. Build follow Gantt Charts. Update them often and try to keep to schedule. Update them often and try to keep to schedule.

10. This is a great opportunity The mentors can expose the kids to the real side of engineering. The mentors can expose the kids to the real side of engineering. The competition can expose the kids to the First competition is. The competition can expose the kids to the First competition is. Free pneumatics are available from Bimba *they for the last few years Free pneumatics are available from Bimba *they for the last few yearsBimba

11. Shipping When you get to the competition with your robot, your team has already won. When you get to the competition with your robot, your team has already won. Pack carefully Pack carefully

12. Have Fun!!