1. Applying the Engineering Design Process to Competition Robotics
(Or, How I learned to stop worrying and love continuous improvement…)
By: John V-Neun
Parker Francis & Charles Wensel

2. Who am I? John V-Neun Why is this important?
Mechanical Engineer
BSME - Clarkson University 2005
VEX Robotics, Inc.
Director of Product Development
(I play with VEX Robotics all day...)
11th season in FRC
HS Student Participant on Team 20 - (Shenendehowa HS)
College Mentor on Team (Clarkson University)
Enginerd on Team 148
Why is this important?
Context… Credibility (?)
A little help from my friends…

3. Who am I? Who are we? Parker Francis Charles Wensel
3rd year member on 148
Driver for all three years
Attending US Air Force Academy
Charles Wensel
Pit Boss for all three years
Attending University of Texas in Austin

4. What is FIRST?
For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology
Inspiration being the key word.
A Robotics Competition as a mechanism for Inspiration.
Show engineering as a competitive sport.
“Trick” students into realizing that engineering is fun.
We are going to talk about one aspect of engineering, and how we can use it in the context of the FIRST Robotics Competition.

5. What is Engineering?

6. What is Engineering?
“Following a methodical process using available resources and experience to solve complex problems.”
Key Words in this phrase? – problem solving…
Engineering is PROBLEM SOLVING!
* Major “take-away” concept…

7. What is the Engineering Design Process?
A series of steps that engineers follow when trying to solve a problem and design a solution for something…
A methodical approach to problem solving.
Similar to “scientific method”.

8. What is the Engineering Design Process?
There is no universally accepted design process.
Seems as though almost every engineer has their own twist for how the process works.
Think of a recipe for banana bread.
You can make it a lot of different ways.
Usually starts with bananas and ends with a loaf of something.
We will talk about the recipe that I use…
Where did it come from?

9. The Engineering Design Process
What is the first step in the process?
? ? ?

10. The Engineering Design Process
Step 1 – Define the problem!
Single most important step.
Without knowing the problem, how can we solve it?
Define the “true” problem.
Get to the “root of the issue”, don’t just fix symptoms.
Avoid “perceived problems”…
Remember the elevator riddle…

11. The Engineering Design Process
Step 2 – Generate Specifications
Specification – An explicit set of requirements to be satisfied by the final solution.
Typically come from two places:
Design Constraints
Functional Requirements

12. The Engineering Design Process
Step 3 – Specification Ranking / Weighting
All specs are not created equal.
These are often ranked in some way.
What is most important? Why?
One ranking system:
W = Wish
(not that important, but would be nice if possible)
P = Preferred
(important, but the project won’t fail without it)
D = Demand
(Critical to the project, MUST be included)
Sometimes related specifications will be created with different rankings.

13. The Engineering Design Process
Step 4 – Generate Design Concepts
Almost everyone does the same this when faced with a problem, often subconsciously. – Think of alternative courses of action.
Formally documenting this intuitive action helps to solve complex engineering problems.
Brainstorm Solutions - (more on this)
Figure out the “how” for the “what” of the specifications.
Two Words – Napkin Sketches!

14. What is Brainstorming? Group creativity technique
Generate a LARGE number of ideas.
Focus on quantity not quality.
Many ideas are generated in the hope that a few good ideas will develop.
Critical part of solving any problem.
Record EVERYTHING, no idea is too silly.
You never know what will spark a GREAT idea.

15. The Engineering Design Process
Step 5 – Prototyping
Make your napkin sketches “real”…
The goal here is to LEARN as much as you can about the concepts and how well each functions.
Prototypes designed to be crude, but functional enough to be educational.
See the concept interact with the real environment.

16. The Engineering Design Process
Step 6 – Choose a Concept
Take the lessons learned from prototyping and make a decision. Choose a concept to go forward with.
Often the “right” solution just reveals itself. Find the elegant solution.
“"When I am working on a problem I never think about beauty. I only think about how to solve the problem. But when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong." - Buckminster Fuller
There are more methodical ways to make a decision...

17. Group Decision Making Volumes of work on this topic… The JVN approach:
“VOTE” is a 4-letter word.
Try Consensus Building
An unjustified opinion is worthless!
Be quantitative whenever possible.

18. Weighted Objectives Tables
A tool used to help designers choose between several concepts based on a number of weighted criteria.
This tool is especially effective because it makes comparisons based on what is “most important” to the designer.

19. Weighted Objectives Tables

20. The Engineering Design Process
Step 7 – Detailed Design
Take the concept and make it into something more “real”.
The goal at the end of this is to have a design or plan that can actually be implemented or constructed.
CAD Models, Assembly Drawings, Manufacturing Plans, BoMs

21. The Engineering Design Process
Step 8 – Manufacturing & Implementation
Depending on the design the implementation could be a manufactured product, a report, a PowerPoint presentation.
Build it!
Step 9 – Analyze Results
Review how the implementation went.
Learn what worked, what didn’t, what can be improved.
Document the results.

22. The Engineering Design Process
Step 1 – Define the Problem
Step 2 – Generate Specifications
Step 3 – Specification Ranking / Weighting
Step 4 – Brainstorm Design Concepts
Step 5 – Prototyping
Step 6 – Choose a Concept
Step 7 – Detailed Design
Step 8 – Manufacturing & Implementation
Step 9 – Analyze Results
So we follow the recipe… pretty straight forward right? No.

23. The Key to Successful Design
What is the secret to successful design?
? ? ?

24. The Key to Successful Design
Design is an Iterative Process…
The secret is to repeat the process or parts of the process to improve the final result.
Test, Tweak, Improve.
Lather, Rinse, Repeat…
Jump back and forth through the Design Process, repeat steps as necessary.
* - This is another of those KEY principles…

25. A More Realistic Design Process
Step 1 – Define the Problem
Step 2 – Generate Specifications
Step 3 – Specification Ranking / Weighting
Step 2a – Add more Specifications
Step 3a – Re-rank Specifications
Step 4 – Brainstorm Design Concepts
Step 5 – Prototyping
Step 4a – Brainstorm more Design Concepts
Step 5a – More Prototyping
Step 6 – Choose a Concept
Step 5b – More and More Prototyping
Step 7 – Detailed Design
Step 5c – More Prototyping
Step 4b – Determine more Design Concepts
Step 5d – More Prototyping
Step 7a – More Detailed Design
Step 8 – Manufacturing & Implementation
Step 9 – Analyze Results
Step 4c – Back to the Drawing Board… More Design Concepts
Step 5e – More Prototyping
Step 7b – More Detailed Design
Step 8a – Build it again…
Step 9a – Test it again….
Etc… etc….

26. Iterative Design Design is an Iterative Process…
So… the more iterations, the better the final solution will be?
Practice Continuous Improvement Process
“DONE” is a 4-letter word
Celebrate Failures as opportunities for learning.
My students HATE this one.

27. Iterative Design Design is an Iterative Process, but…
“At some point in every design process there comes a time when it is necessary to shoot the engineer and just build the thing…”

28. How is Design like an Onion?
The Design Process can have layers…
You may use a “mini” design process for a small part of the overall design.
You may have several parallel processes occurring at the same time, each interconnected as part of an overall system.
Different layers may call on designers of different backgrounds to work together.

29. “Use the new TPS Report Cover Sheet”
How formal should we be?
This process can be accomplished with a varying degree of formality…
Determine what level of detail and documentation is needed.
TOTALLY INTUITIVE
“All in your head”
FULL DOCUMENTATION
“Use the new TPS Report Cover Sheet”

30. Robotics & The Design Process…
How does this apply to competition robotics?
How do we implement something like this for the types of designs we do?
The easiest way to show this is to talk through it…
Disclaimer… this is only one possible implementation… blah blah blah… your mileage may vary.

31. Kickoff – Steps 1-4 Step 1 – Define the Problem
Step 2 – Generate Specifications
Step 3 – Specification Ranking / Weighting
Step 4 – Brainstorm Design Concepts

32. What Problem are we solving?
Go over the Game Manual first...
We then need to figure out what problem we are trying to solve?
Audience:
What are we trying to accomplish?
Step 1 – Define the Problem
Any ideas?
Anyone who read JVN’s build journal... Keep quiet!

33. What Problem are we solving?
Ultimate Goal: Win a World Championship Keep our eyes on "Einstein!"
How do we do that? Win elimination matches. How do we win elimination matches? Our alliance scores more points than our opponents. How do we ensure that? Get on a good alliance. How do we ensure that? Be a desirable pick. Seed High. How do we do those things? Build a robot that can score a lot of points, ensure we score more than our opponents in every match. Score a lot, score quickly.

34. What Problem are we solving?
How do we score a lot of points?
Next Step: Parker’s Scoring Analysis!

35. Scoring Analysis Ways to score points:
Hang                          (2 points, maximum of 6 per alliance)
Hang from a partner      (3 points, maximum of 8 per alliance)
Score a ball                 (1 point, no max)
Climb onto platform      (2 points, maximum of 6 per alliance)
Ways to prevent opponent from scoring:
Block a goal
Block shots
Block opponent from hanging / getting on the platform
Pin opponent (< 5 seconds)
Play "ball keep away"
Intercept passes
Control balls
Ways to reduce opponent's score:
Knock opponent off platform / off bar (before finale)
Where is the max score?  Where are the big points?: We don’t know... Scoring Locks – Mathematically secured win: Get ahead by 8 points and control all the balls.  (Difficult to control all the balls given nature of the robot rules.) Estimated Average Scoring: We don’t know...

36. “What are our limitations?”
Design Parameters
Part of Step 2 – Generate Specifications
Design Constraints – outlined in manual!
< 120 lbs
< 38” x 28” x 60”
Don’t grab a ball more than 3”
Etc
The 2nd type of Specifications will be defined later...

37. “Whats” Next we list... What are all the things a robot can do?
WHAT not HOW... List all of them!
Step 4 – Brainstorm Design Concepts
What Happened to Step 3? Out of order!

38. Our List from Kickoff
Score from far away
Kick balls over 1 bump (short kick)
Kick balls over 2 bumps (long kick)
Possess and control a ball
Score from close up (plow/puke)
Drive over a bump
Jump off the bump - "Dukes of Hazzard"
Roll over the bump - smooth transition over.
Hang from the bar
"Curl" robot up onto vertical bar
Hang Quickly  (< 5 seconds left)
Climb onto platform
Hang from a partner robot
Lift partner robot
Passive lift - latch on, let them hang from us (provide some type of mechanism they can hang from)
Active lift - pull them up
Active lift - let them drive onto a ramp, and lift it
Aim shots
Herd balls
Drive through tunnel
Block a goal
Play defense (see defense list)
Score in autonomous
Camera "lock" onto goal
Evade defense
Self-right our robot
Self-right a flipped partner
Knock opponent off bar
Avoid accidentally carrying balls (penalty)
Don't flip over (stable)
Deflect balls from ball track to home zone or goal
Shoot rapid fire
Pin other robots
Drive FAST
Accelerate FAST
Push HARD
Drive in all directions
Shoot independent of drive train direction (turret)
Scatter piles of balls
Don't drive over or get hung on balls
Spin around a ball
Shoot accurately
Shoot with high repeatability
Shoot in known direction relative to robot (aim-able)
Vary shot distance
Shoot off multiple sides of the robot

39. HOW do we do the WHAT? What is most important to us?
Gut feel chose a few “whats” we thought were most important.
Began brainstorming “HOW” we would do these things.
Sketched Concepts

40. 148 Final Robot Concept

41. Specifications (from kickoff)
Further define the concepts...
Specifications (from kickoff)
Define HOW the “important” systems will function.
Spec part 2 = Functional Requirements.
Step 2 – Other Part of Generating Specifications
Step 3 – Specification Ranking / Weighting
Overall:
(D) Robot is designed such that it cannot "carry" balls at any time.
(D) Robot CG is within 6" of the center of the robot in the x-y direction.
(D) Robot CG is no more than 12" off the ground.
(P) Robot CG is no more than 8" off the ground.
(W) Robot CG is no more than 4" off the ground.
(W) Robot top is shaped such that it can "deflect" falling balls from the return track back toward the home zone.
(P) Robot is large enough to effectively block shots on a goal.
(P) Robot is shielded such that nothing larger than 1/2" can penetrate the outer layer.
(P) Robot matches the "Robowrangler Aesthetic" and looks professional in fabrication and design.

42. For each “how,” list things to prototype:
Hanging Subsystem:
Prototype a 2-hook design. “How hard is it to align effectively on the bar?”
Prototype a 1-hook design.
Prototype a carabiner type bar latch.
Prototype a telescoping hanging arm. (determine geometry)
Prototype a multi-joint hanging arm. (determine geometry)
Prototype a mechanism to hang from the vertical pole. (determine geometry)
Prototype a gate-latch/gripper to attach to the vertical pole.
Prototype the geometry to hang from the bump.
Determine the best “approaches” the robot has to the tower. What is most accessible?
Ball Manipulator (Ball Magnet) Subsystem:
Big Question – CAN WE CONTROL A BALL?
Prototype a suction-cup / vacuum system.
Prototype a vertical roller claw (right/left rollers).
Prototype a horizontal roller claw (top/bottom rollers).
Prototype a combination roller claw (3-sided, 4-sided).
Prototype a “pincher” ball grabber.
Prototype a rolling “ball dribbler” (ball spins in place).
Prototype a 3-inch deep ball funnel. “Can we center the balls on the robot?”
Prototype a mechanism which grabs the ball in the bumper zone for less than 2 seconds.
End of Kickoff

43. Week 1 – Steps 4 & 5 Step 4 – (Continue) Brainstorming Design Concepts
Step 5 – Prototyping
New Ideas, Lots of experimentation, lots of learning...
“this works!” “this sucks...”
Spills into week 2?

44. Week 1 – Steps 4 & 5

45. Week 1 – Steps 4 & 5

46. Week 1 – Steps 4 & 5

47. Week 1 – Steps 4 & 5

48. Week 1 – Steps 4 & 5

49. End Week 1 (or 2) – Steps 6
Step 6 – Choose a Concept

50. Week 2/3/4 – Step 7
Step 7 – Detailed Design

51. Week 2/3/4 – Step 7
Step 7 – Detailed Design

52. Week 2/3/4 – Detailed Design

53. Week 2/3/4 – Detailed Design

54. Weeks 3-6 – Steps 8 & 9 Step 8 – Manufacturing & Implementation
Step 9 – Analyze Results
Build it... Break it... Improve it...

55. Weeks 4-6 – Build It, Break It, Rebuild It.

56. Weeks 4-6 – Build It, Break It, Rebuild It.

57. Weeks 4-6 – Build It, Break It, Rebuild It.

58. Weeks 4-6 – Build It, Break It, Rebuild It.

59. Questions?