Project Overview  Structural part Introduction  Laser cutting & forming  Model Making  Designing & Developing  Manufacturing  Building & Analysing

LESSON 03

LESSON 3 STARTER Key words: CAD, Library, heat processes, acrylic, MDF, profile, forming. Learning objective: Explore tools and techniques to create detailed models of new and unique robotics solutions, build a scaled model of a conceptual idea, use existing parts to assess the suitability of a model. For this lesson you need to have a design for a robot you are going to make using your own structural parts. Creative Design Task: As a short quick and focused task, you are challenged with designing on paper a robot/vehicle/humanoid design that does not consider the VEX parts that are available at present. The design should be completely unconstrained. Here is an example of a three wheeled cycle that will eventually become a VEX robot solution.

Model Making Using the right tools for model making In this lesson you are going to make a model of a design idea you have for a new VEX robot. The design is not going to be constrained by the small range of metal structural parts available in the VEX portfolio. By moving away from this range, you can design really unique products with much more style and potentially more functional. The parts initially are going to be modelled in card, but eventually will be made in a rigid plastic or even a metal.

Model Making Cutting out parts Use the safety rule, cutting matt and craft knife carefully to create your parts. Be aware that: - the safety rule has a ridge for your fingers to sit on, away from the blade. - the cutting matt is rubber, which will stop the blade slipping - you can cut better by passing the blade over a line a number of times lightly rather than pushing down hard to cut the line in one pass - always draw the knife away from your body rather than towards yourself - always take you time, never rush…!

Model Making Joining Parts Use a glue gun, double sided tape, cello tape or any suitable craft adhesive to join the parts together. For neat models you should: - not apply too much glue in one go as it will spill out of the join all over the place! - apply the double sided tape with the smooth layer in place, then remove the smooth layer and join the second part to the first - keep cello tape to a minimum as lots of tape looks messy - neat and well assembled models will be more robust when being tested and also look more impressive Push fit are very neat joints These smaller parts are stuck inside this channel to reinforce the shape Joining existing VEX parts onto the card can be glued or use mechanical joins

Model Making Checking models and existing kit fit together Select the parts you are going to use as part of the build. The list below are parts you might want to fit as you will not be making these yourself. From the VEX kit fit the… - battery - cortex - motors - sensors - wheels - claw - tank tracks - turn tables

LESSON 3 PLENARY As a class, let us consider the following questions? A. What is the purpose of model making as a stage in the design process? B. Who should handle, play and operate models once they are made? C. Why is making models to scale important? D. What products would be good to model around existing objects to check they are the right size and shape?

Summary Today you have:  Learnt how to create accurate and high quality models of unique design ideas.  Made a scaled model of a robot of your new idea  Combined existing VEX parts with your card models to begin to establish how correctly proportioned the design is. Learning objective: Explore tools and techniques to create detailed models of new and unique robotics solutions, build a scaled model of a conceptual idea, use existing parts to assess the suitability of a model.