Ro2D2 ROBOT

            Ro2D2 Robot is a real functional robot designed and manufactured using SolidWorks CAD Software - with all its functionalities including SimulationXpress Analysis Wizard - by all 15 members of Ro2D2 FTC Robotics Team. We participated in the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) 2019-2020 Skystone season organized by the international FIRST organization, having great results.             The project is original and innovative, all the systems being designed in a way that provides extreme accuracy in both autonomous and TeleOp modes. The entire robot can be operated using predefined functions which help it save time during missions – the predefined functions can be easily modified to accomplish various missions carried out by the robot. This type of robot controlling system is provided by the limit switches installed on each mechanism of the robot.            The innovative design is given by the solutions found for the robot to follow the regulations imposed by the contest which include maximum dimensions (a cube with a 450mm edge) for which the gauge system was created (look pictures of the systems) … a huge obstacle for the designing team. The chassis is a standard 4 Heavy-Duty Mecanum Wheel wheelbase reinforced with strong side plates, one belly pan, and one top platform to assure that the robot withstands the harsh match environment – they also prevent torsion to accumulate by creating a close body feature. This system enables the robot to move sideways without turning (slide), but posed some difficulties in order to run smoothly: the wheels had to be lubricated before each match and the weight center had to be situated as close to the center of the chassis on Cartesian xOy coordinates (here we used SolidWorks Measure and Mass Properties tools).            The building and designing process of the entire robot meant a huge team effort and a good collaboration from all the team’s departments - including the PR department which has brought artistic solutions to the final aspect of the robot. Mechanics, engineering, coding, material resistance, industrial design notions were combined and incorporated in the final version of the robot making it a wonderful project.            It took us three months to build this robot starting from the brainstorming sessions where we discussed potential designs and systems, continuing with the actual CAD design of several versions, and finishing with the assembling and coding of the robot, test sessions, and final retouches. Ro2D2 Robot includes 797 parts which constitute 9 main systems (look pictures of the system and main parts). These assemblies are made up of mechanical parts such as steel and wood bars, DURAL and ALUCOBOND plates, PLA components, electrical engines of various powers and rotation speeds, sensors, limit switches, and processors which maintain the smooth and safe movement of the robot.            The missions the robot can accomplish are to build on a foundation a tower with a height up to 1.5 meters using bricks which it collects from the field and it can also move the foundation with the tower on without collapsing it. All this process is automated using sensors, gyroscopes, odometry, AI recognition and switch limits which give us the possibility to control the entire robot using just a few buttons on a normal joystick.            Some of the parts used in the design of the robot were bought from companies, but the majority of the components are designed and manufactured by Ro2D2’s team members on 3D printers, CNC and lathe machines. The entire process of building the robot was recorded in a book called Engineering Notebook in which we included all the ideas, failed and successful versions of systems, design concepts, coding aspects and difficulties and solutions found in time .            We are very proud of what we, a bunch of secondary and high-school students with ages from 11 to 17 years old, accomplished to build… it gives us hope for a better future!            We want to underline the fact that the robot was built using recycled and recyclable materials, the entire process being guided by the principle of sustainability and eco-friendly principles generating, in the end, a minimum impact on the environment.