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<p><span class="title bold">About</span>Every year, the controls group is assigned with the task of wiring the robot that we build and writing the code that makes it run. There are two main tasks assigned to the group: electrical and coding. On the electrical side, the group designs in sensors to get information necessary to run the robot, and uses technicals skills such as crimpingand soldering to complete the wiring on the robot. Our code is all written in Python, which allows for fast coding during build and competition and is easy to teach to inexperienced coders. Our code repositories are available at: https://github.com/grt192.</p>
<p><span class="title bold">About</span>The controls group is responsible for two main tasks: electrical design and wiring, and software coding. Electrical design involves working with mechanism and drive train teams to incorporate sensors that will collect information necessary to run the robot, and uses technical skills such as crimping, soldering and trouble-shooting to complete the wiring on the robot. Software coding involves designing and writing the code that makes all the mechanisms move while collecting data from on-board sensors, allowing the robot to operate in both autonomous mode and from the driver station in tele-operation mode. Our code is written in Python, which allows for fast coding during build and competition and is easy to teach to inexperienced coders. Our code repositories are available at: https://github.com/grt192.</p>
<p><span class="title bold">Robot Vision</span>For the 2016 game, one of our main challenges was developing a working robot vision system. We used OpenCV to detect the goals (marked by reflective tape on the field) and fire boulders automatically. We used vision in autonomous mode to consistently score high goal shots and in teleop mode to make control of the shooter easier for the driver, by aiming and firing at the press of a button.</p>
<p><span class="title bold">Autonomous</span>Each FIRST match is split into two sections: autonomous and teleop. The autonomous period typically lasts fifteen seconds and allows no driver operation. Each year, there are different tasks that can be completed during autonomous for a variety of points. In years like 2016 when there are many different task options, our team has developed many different autonomous modes. The strategically best option is chosen before each match. For autonomous, we either use hard-coded or recorded values to run the sequence that completes the task. In hard-coded autonomous modes, we manually tell the robot exactly what to do for specified distances or amounts of time. This is useful for simple autonomous procedures. For more complicated ones, we sometimes turn to recording. In this case, a driver will perform the sequence with full control of the robot while our code records the values sent to the different mechanisms. We save the sequence to a file and play back whenever we run autonomous. </p>
<p><span class="title bold">Python</span>Each year, we build our code off the GRTPyFramework, which we have developed as a basis for our robot code. Beyond basic framework and abstractions, GRTPyFramework provides a method by which more sophisticated logic and abstractions can be developed, provided a particular code structure is followed in line with design methodology. The two most important parts of the code are mechanisms and controllers. For mechanisms, we create classes for each of the mechanisms that includes all of the actions necessary. Controllers dictate how and when the different mechanism actions are called based largely on inputs from our sensors.</p>
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<p><span class="title bold">About</span>Drive trains are the systems that make the robot move, and often form the backbone of the chassis. Our drive train group is well-known within the FIRST Robotics community for our student designed and built custom gearboxes, their intricate design work and precision manufacturing.
<p><span class="title bold">About</span>Drive trains are the systems that make the robot move, and often form the backbone of the chassis. Our drive train group is well-known within the FIRST Robotics community for our student - designed and built - custom gearboxes, their intricate design work and precision manufacturing.
Because the need for robot movement is universal to any game design we may be given, the drive train group does significant work during the pre-season (before the design prompt is issued in January) to develop practical, efficient and elegant designs. Design considerations range from power, maneuverability, efficiency and weight, to production concerns such as cost and manufacturability.
All of the design work, from initial simulations to determine basic power and reduction to the final CAD modeling, is done by our students. These designs then go out to student machinists in our shop, who manufacture high precision parts on our mills and lathes. </p>
<p><span class="title bold">2 Speed Drive Gearbox</span>One of our main development projects over the last few years has been our 2 speed, ball shifting gearbox. This version is a 3 stage reduction, which allows us to use it with 6 inch or larger wheels (a larger wheel would otherwise gear up the transmission).
Our gearboxes are by far the smallest of their kind, with a footprint extending from the transmissions only 2.7 inches. This comes courtesy of a several innovations. Most notable are the inverted shifters: these are the pneumatics that drive the shifting cluster, turned around and set within the gearbox itself, cutting about 2 inches out of the width. Using this linkage to pull the shifter from afar, the cluster performs better than an off-the-shelf equivalent, holding a gear and shifting down to 25 PSI of pressure. Other innovations include the first reduction of the gearbox, accomplished through a belt drive on the face of the box. This further reduces profile, and allows the motors to be turned backwards, with most of their volume outside of the robot base area. </p>
<p><span class="title bold">Belt-in-Tube Transmission</span>For several years now, we have been using a transmission that gets the power to the wheels via a series of GT3 belts, laid inside box-beam transmission tubes. These box-beam tubes create as an effective housing, as well as core members of the robot?s structure. In response to the terrain obstacles of FIRST Stronghold, we adapted this arrangement in a bent-tube design, maintaining the characteristics of our traditional design, while lifting the large front and back wheels off the ground to help us tackle the worst of the obstacles.</p>
<p><span class="title bold">Training</span>Training of new members of the drive train group is crucial to its success, and so it begins very early. The foundation for our designers and machinists alike begins on the lathes, where student manufacture complex, high precision parts from very early on. This technique of try-until-you-succeed works very well, and in the process, the students develop a very keen understanding of how the parts will be interacting in the systems they will go on to design.
During the later stages of build season, the lead drive train designer(s) for the year will begin working with a small group of students on the intricacies of gearbox and transmission design. The final shipped robot will usually include at least one system designed by these trainees, something like a winch or flywheel gearbox.
<p><span class="title bold">Training</span>Training of new members of the drive train group is crucial to its success, asuccess, and so it begins as soon as general shop training for the team has completed. The foundation for our designers and machinists alike begins on the lathes, on the lathes, where students learn to manufacture complex, high precision parts. The technique of try-until-you-succeed works very well, and in the process, the students develop a very keen understanding of how the parts will be interacting in the systems they will go on to design.
During the later stages of build season, the lead drive train designer(s) for the year will begin working with a small group of students on the intricacies of gearbox and transmission design. The final competition robot will usually include at least one system designed by these trainees, something like a winch or flywheel gearbox.
After competition seasons end, the drive train design training begins in earnest. Here the designers that have just gone through a year of development, building and competition help their successors through the problems that they faced. This training carries on into the summer, where much of the formality of the earlier lessons is lost, and the mentorship slowly morphs into the new teams research and development for the following year.
The importance of the effectiveness of this process should be clearly evident. On student design teams such as this, where the turnover of head designers is almost 100% from year to year, it is critical that this knowledge gets passed down, so that we can continue to improve, and further our legacy of stunning student design.</p>
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GRT is a student-lead organization. Although mentors provide guidance, it is the students who chart the course for the team and the robot.
GRT is a student-managed organization. Although mentors provide guidance, it is the students who chart the course for the team and the robot.
The team is lead by four students: Team Captain, Team Manager, Business Manager, Safety Captain, and other students provide leadership in specific shop areas and team activities. The team goal is for every individual on the team to function with a specific purpose.</p>
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<p>The Gunn Robotics Team (GRT) was founded in 1996 by Bill Dunbar, a mechanical engineer and physics teacher at Henry M. Gunn High School in Palo Alto, CA. At the time, the Engineering Technology program was diminishing with an all-male class consisting of only 8 students. However, Bill revived the class by in no small part involved several at risk students, and introducing them to engineering.</p>
<p>The newly formed team took over the abandoned wood and metal shop that was about to be closed on Gunn’s campus. After fighting with the school district for funding, they finally set up the school's first robotics team and entered the FIRST Robotics Competition in 1997. That summer, they traveled directly to the National Championships in Orlando, Florida.</p>
<p>The Gunn Robotics Team (GRT) is a student-managed team that designs, builds and enters a robot in several FIRST Robotics competitions each year. A major part of our team identity is our student involvement. Every aspect of the team that can be operated by a student, is: leadership, organization and planning, gearbox and mechanism design; prototyping and computer simulations; fabrication using milling machines, lathes, CNC, welding and more; coding and animation; fund-raising; outreach. Our students do it all. We CAD our own designs, write our own software, and wire our own robots; we manage our sponsorships, organize and staff outreach events. Being on the Gunn Robotics Team gives every student the opportunity to make real decisions, learn from the results, and produce something amazing in the process.</p>
<p>The team has evolved greatly over its nineteen years of existence. Today, GRT is one of the school district's most prized programs. From those first 8 students, we have grown to our regular enrollment of 54 members, who work in a variety of different subgroups ranging from welding to the drivetrain. Our growth as a team has received a lot of positive feedback from our community as well. In the offseason, we build projects for local schools and communities. We have been fortunate to work with generous sponsors, who assist us with resources and training.</p>
<p>GRT was founded in 1996 by Bill Dunbar, a mechanical engineer turned physics teacher at Henry M. Gunn High School in Palo Alto, CA. At the time, the school’s Engineering Technology program was diminishing, with only one class of eight (all male) students. Fortunately, Bill was able to expand the class by reaching out to several at-risk students, offering to introduce them to engineering. The class took over the campus wood and metal shop, at the time abandoned and slated for demolition, and convinced the school district (after much effort) to provide funding for a new type of class. The Gunn robotics team entered the FIRST Robotics competition in 1997, and that summer traveled to the National Championships in Orlando, Florida.”</p>
<p>Since its inception, GRT has grown into a popular program at H.M. Gunn HS, with two full classes meeting throughout the school year, plus regular after-hour and weekend shop sessions. All GRT students learn how to CAD and work in the shop, and develop additional expertise working in small groups focused on skills such as programming, welding, gearbox design, pneumatics, and more. We stay connected with our community, building projects for local schools and community events. We have been fortunate to work with generous sponsors, who assist us with resources and training.</p>
<div class="image-container"><img alt="Child Flag Catch" src="imageAssets/team/childFlagCatch.png"/>
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<p>A major part of our team identity is our student involvement. Every aspect of the team that could be operated by a student is: design prototyping, computer modeling of design, and operation of tools, from manual mills and lathes, to a CNC mill and welding. Our students do it all. We write our own software and wire our own robots. Students also run our business team, and manage our sponsorships and outreach events. Being on the Gunn Robotics Team gives every student the opportunity to experience leadership, and produce something amazing in the process.</p>
The Gunn Robotics Team works out of our classroom on the Henry M. Gunn High School campus. We are very proud of our large shop, which we have built up over the years to include a diverse set of the tools. A large portion of time and effort is spent maintaining our shop and ensuring a productive workspace for future generations of our engineers.</p>
<p><span class="title bold">Our Work Space</span>
Our shop has expanded from a few tools fit for a science fair project to a small-scale manufacturing facility capable of producing extremely precise parts. Our shop now holds eighteen machines, used on a regular basis.</p>
<p><span class="title bold">Power Tools</span>
Metal Vertical Bandsaw, Wood Vertical Bandsaw, Horizontal Bandsaw, Table Saw, 3 Drill Presses, Hydraulic Press, Two lathes, Jet Chuck Lathe and Harrison M250 Collet Lathe, Two mills, Bridgeport Series 1 Standard 2000 and Bridgeport Model 45715, CNC mill, Milltronics Partner VKM4, Welders - TIG, MIG, Oxy-Acetylene, Mini-Mill and Mini-CNC</p>
Metal Vertical Bandsaw, Wood Vertical Bandsaw, Horizontal Bandsaw, Table Saw, three Drill Presses, Hydraulic Press, two lathes, Jet Chuck Lathe and Harrison M250 Collet Lathe, two mills, Bridgeport Series 1 Standard 2000 and Bridgeport Model 45715, CNC mill, Milltronics Partner VKM4, Welders - TIG, MIG, Oxy-Acetylene, Mini-Mill and Mini-CNC</p>
<p><span class="title bold">Manual Tools</span>
Sheet Metal Cutter, Large variety of handheld tools including screwdrivers, files, saws, hammers, wrenches, clamps, etc.</p>
Sheet metal brake, sheet metal finger brake, arbor press, rotex punch, beverly shear, and a large variety of handheld tools including screwdrivers, files, saws, hammers, wrenches, clamps, etc.</p>
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