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Engineering �Design Process

The Antidote - FTC 14320

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Engineering Design Process

A series of steps that engineers follow to design a solution to a problem.
The engineering design process helps in making decisions by applying the principles of science, math and engineering.

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Ask

Brainstorm

Prototype

Improve

Test

Fabricate

NASA

Engineering

Design

Process

Our FTC version of the NASA Design Process

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Design Process Steps

Step 1 – ASK – Identify the Problem
Step 2 – BRAINSTORM – Brainstorm Solutions and Research Ideas
Step 3 – PROTOTYPE – Select 2 or 3 Promising Solutions
Step 4 – FABRICATE – Construct a Working Model
Step 5 – TEST – Test & Evaluate Solutions
Step 6 – IMPROVE – Improvise, Adapt, Overcome your Design

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Identify the Problem

Identify what needs to be accomplished
What are the Restrictions/Constraints

Robots must not be taller than 14 inches to cross Sky Bridge

Functional Requirements

The robot must be able to intake stones from all angles

Analyze game and determine strategies

Identify tasks and rank in priority

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Design Constraints

Maximum robot height/weight

SkyStone 🡪 18x18x14, 42 lbs.

Number of allowed motors 🡪 8 motors
Maximum #of game elements
Allowed Control Systems

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Identify and Rank Tasks

There are numerous tasks to accomplish in each FTC Game
List them out and analyze their point values and difficulty

E = Easy (can be completed ~90%)
M = Medium (can be completed ~70%)
H = Hard (can be completed ~50%)
These difficulties vary for each team!

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Tasks	Point Value	Difficulty	Rank
Repositioning	10	4	H
Navigating	5	1	E
SkyStone Delivery	10	5	H
Stone Delivery	2	3	M
Placing	4	3	M

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Brainstorm Ideas

Come up with numerous ideas to accomplish the task

Don’t be afraid to produce unique and creative ideas!
No idea is a bad idea

List each idea down on a whiteboard
Go through the pros/cons of each idea
Do a lot of research on YouTube

Look for real-world solutions
FTC teams share their ideas (previous games)

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Prototype a Solution

Select a few promising solutions to prototype

Does not need to be perfect
Rough idea of how the process works
Ex: Using AndyMark Compliant Wheels as an intake

Use any material!

Cardboard, LEGOs, 3D Printing

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Decision Matrix

Use a Decision Matrix/Weighted Objective Table to help select one method over other ideas in accomplishing a single task

Compares each idea regarding different criteria
Ex: Different ways to hold on to the SkyStone

Weights are used to establish the importance of the criteria

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Characteristic & Weight		Nub Grabber	Side Clamp	Linear Actuator
Driver Precision/Ease of Alignment	4	3	3	1
Size	3	4	3	1
Reliability	4	1	3	2
Ease to Manufacture	2	4	3	2
RESULT		36	39	19

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Fabricate the Design

Creating the first complete working design of the idea

This step is accomplished after any issues in the prototype have been resolved

Use Computer Aided Designing (CAD) software to create the design
Use any material!

Build Kits

Actobotics, goBILDA

3D Printing
Aluminum

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Test the Design

Often the most rigorous part of the design process
Involves pushing the design to its limits

Does it work?
Is it reliable/efficient?
Is it robust?
Is it too complicated?
Does it meet all specifications listed in the Ask phase?

Record measurements and take notes as the design is tested
Manipulate only one variable at a time when testing for accurate results

Changing too many things at once 🡪 Do not know what changed what

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Improve and Redesign

After testing, is there anything that can be changed to be more efficient? reliable? accurate?
This phase is the ‘end’ of the process, creating the design process cycle

Endless loop of constantly improving the design (aka iterating)

The process outlined here isn’t the only process in designing a robot, each team typically finds a process that works for them

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Simpler design 🡪 thinner, no screws

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Credits

This lesson was written by The Antidote 14320 for FTCTutorials.com
You can contact the author at:

Website:

http://theantidoterobotics.com

Twitter:

@theantidoteFTC

Email:

theantidoteftc@gmail.com

More lessons for FIRST Tech Challenge are available at www.FTCtutorials.com

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This work is licensed under a

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.