Team 3322

Robot Anatomy, Care & Feeding

Objective/Agenda

Objective: Discuss and review the basic attributes and functions of common FIRST robotics systems.

Communicate safe work practices… for people and the robot.

Agenda

• Robot systems tour
• Safety tips & procedures
• Robot safety

Robot systems tour

Mechanical System: Aluminum! Bolts & rivets. Belts and chains. Powered by electric motors or electro-pneumatics...

Electrical System: Battery, high voltage, low voltage systems...

Computer System: Control boards, computer programming system…

Connected by wires and tubes

This is how you...

This is how you switch the power to the robot.

This is how you enable the robot to move under control.

This is how you bleed-off the air system.

This is how you connect, disconnect, and charge a battery.

Robot Safety-

Robot safety

How to safely lift a robot

Plan and communicate the entire lift. Where will it be placed? Are there any obstacles?

Robot should be off at the power switch.

Robots weigh more than 100-pounds!

Two person lift, grip on the robot frame, not the bumpers.

Watch out for those wheels and chains!

Watch out for sharp edges.

Lift with your legs, not your back! Use a spotter. Get out of the way!

Robot Safety

Personal Protection 2

Putting your hands and feet into a powered robot should be avoided

If mentors agree it is necessary - clear room of all distractions. This includes music and people not 100% focused on the robot

Pinch hazards: Lots of pinch points. Engineers must often reach-in to a powered robot to inspect, measure and adjust. Be aware of details that are rotating or might move unexpectedly. Keep yourself safe.

One person directs all actions - usually the person with their hands in the robot

Accidents happen when the operator and engineer do not communicate.

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Robot safety

When good robots go bad!

Robot safety

Testing standards

• Software changes, driveline changes, wiring changes can produce unpredictable results
• Ask programmers to limit maximum speeds to a very low value
• Testing on a raised bench
• Robot must be secure, with wheels off the table, before turning it on.
• A sideways 2x4 is NOT acceptable since it may fall over
• Some instances may require you to clamp the robot to the table
• Testing on the floor
• Make people aware of what you are about to do.
• If driving slow, minimum distance to people is six feet
• Drive fast only after confirming motion in slow mode first.
• Minimum distance to people is 10 feet

Robot safety

Where will the robot go?

• Driving Area - Study Carefully
• Can a person accidentally enter the driving area?
• Could the robot drive over an extension cord?
• Could the robot do anything bad?
• Hallway testing
• Don’t leave computers on the ground
• Electrical cable (all cables) must be clear of pedestrian traffic
• Walkway must be clear
• Did you notice the new water cooler?

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Robot safety

Enabling robot

• Respect the mentors. Listen to the mentors
• Need minimum of FOUR people to test a robot
• Leader: Directs testing. Communicates what the driver should do to test the robot. Collects results. Secures area.
• Engineer: Handles the computer. ONLY handles the computer. Can disable the robot in 27 milliseconds
• Driver Team: Handles the robot directional and speed controls. Does nothing without being directed by the Leader

It is a best practice to minimize people in the testing area. If someone is in the testing area, they must be engaged in the testing.

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Robot Safety

Enable Robot Procedure

1. Decide, specifically, what the robot needs to do. Test team (Leader, Driver, Engineer) agrees.
2. Engineer (computer handler) says, ‘Enabling.’
3. Everyone around the robot says, ‘Ready.’
4. Leader and Engineer assure that they heard ‘Ready’ from everyone around the testing area. Can’t hear? Clear the area.
5. Engineer enables robot and watches for unsafe conditions.

If the robot deviates from the plan, due to driver or robot error, the Engineer must shut the robot down!

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Common Ways To Damage A Robot-

Clamps and Wires for $500

• Squeeze clamps are weak. Don’t use them to hold a 30 lb elevator.
• Tape is weaker

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• Wires, tubes, etc. move with the mechanism. Look for pinch points when testing any motion.

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Electrical concerns

• NO grinding, cutting, trimming near electrical components
• Robot adjustments may require a little work of this nature on the robot
• Take precautions and use something to catch the chips and dust
• T-shirt, drop cloth, tape
• Do not vacuum chips near electronics - 50,000V
• NO drinks or fluids near the robot
• DO NOT DROP electrical components
• If you do - admit it and show a mentor to discern/test if it is broken
• A dropped motor is a BIG deal!
• DO NOT take motors apart
• Watch for pinched cables and cuts/nicks in the installation. Show to Electrical Mentor
• NEVER bridge the contacts of a battery

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Mechanical Concerns

• DO NOT drill or cut blindly: Always know what is behind or connected to the thing you are drilling into or cutting
• Be careful what you touch on the robot
• Metal gets hot
• Cut edges can be sharp
• Chains, pulleys and wheels can pinch and cut wires or fingers

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Computer concerns

• Always test the code FIRST!
• Never assume that the robot has the same programming as the last time you saw it.
• Unless you are working on the programming team, do not upload anything into any part of the robot.
• Do not load ANY extra programs (CAD, games, etc.) onto the Driver Station.

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The End

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