Final Article

A VEXciting New Experiment

By Dustin Brandl

Introduction/Background Information:

This article is written about Dustin Brandl, 17, a senior at the Marine Academy of Science and Technology. He is from Farmingdale, New Jersey, which is a part of the Freehold Regional Sending District.  He is partnered with CJ Bzozowski, also 17, on the VEX Robotics senior project.

Directed Field Research is a course offered to all of the seniors attending The Marine Academy of Science and Technology located at Sandy Hook, NJ. The instructors for this particular project are Mr. David Alfonse and Cheryl McDonald; within this group, there are many different projects on which students are working.  These include the wave tank, herbarium, and the VEX Robotics.  This article focuses on one project and student in particular, Dustin Brandl and the VEX Robotics.

            The VEX Robotics system is designed to create an interesting opportunity for students learn about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).  The VEX Robotics system not only encourages STEM skills, but it also encourages more personable skills such as team work, problem solving, and leadership.  For this course, the VEX Robot must complete a set of challenges, both terrestrial and aquatic

The challenge for the VEX Robotics system was designed from the Coast Guard Academy’s STEM challenge.  A challenge course was constructed to test the groups’ ability to solve problems and work together to achieve a goal.  The challenges within this Coast Guard Challenge are place a ball through a hoop, tow a friendly vessel, sink an enemy vessel and plant a buoy.  While doing this challenge, the students are also learning about science, technology, engineering, and math.  This challenge will build future leaders in the engineering fields.

Design Brief:

The general design brief for the VEX robotics groups is to design and construct a remote, battery operated vehicle with capabilities to perform amphibious tasks.  Brandl’s individual design brief is to design and construct all of the electrical components of a small, remote controlled vehicle that is positively buoyant and will complete all of the designated challenges.

Specifications:

      ·        Must be able to traverse the dunes without leaving tracks deep enough to trap a piping plover

·        Must be able to safely move eggs without damaging them

·        Must fit in the pool which is made from materials that are present in the lab.

·        The pool is built with the dimensions10’by 10’by 10’

·        Must be able to efficiently complete all of the challenges

·        Cannot crush or damage the piping plover eggs

·        Launch or place a ball through the hoop

·        Tug a small vessel and drop it

·        Plant a buoy

·        Sink a ship

·        Cut a line of twine

·        Must be remote operated

·        Must be built from the VEX kit

Limitations:

·        Must be finished by May 2012
·        Must stay within budget
·        The supplies which we were given
·        Energy
·        Team members (two people)
·        Dustin Brandl may only design and construct the electrical components

Testing Procedures:

The final solution of the terrestrial VEX robot must be able to safely relocate the eggs of the endangered piping plover without damaging the surrounding environment.  The final solution for the aquatic variant of the VEX robot must be able to maneuver around a 8’ by 8’ by 8” tank and complete a set of challenges.  These challenges are placing a ball through a hoop, towing a friendly vessel, planting a buoy, and sinking an enemy vessel.

Brandl’s group gave a series of tests, ranging from preliminary tests to final tests, on the VEX robot design in order to create the optimum VEX robot.  There are a various amounts of testing that go into the process of creating a VEX robot, and these include exploratory tests, assessment tests, validation tests, and comparison tests. Exploratory tests are questions which are asked by each group in order to begin designing.  Assessment tests are used to determine the creation and development the alternate solutions.  Validation tests are the tests given to each alternate solution during the rationale process to determine the best solution.  Comparison tests are tests given to possible the apparatuses in order to define the better solution.

Alternate Solutions:
            Before Brandl could begin construction, he had to first decide what would be the best method for completing each challenge.  During his process of finding different alternate solutions, Brandl had to draw each of his ideas of completing each task.  They are listed below.
Claw- The claw is a very versatile tool.  It can be mounted to an arm in conjunction with the wrist kit.  The claw can be used for each of the aquatic challenges and the terrestrial challenge.  Using the claw for most of the challenges will save space on the hull of the VEX robot; this leaves room for a storage bay for the eggs, and it will not be as heavy in the water.  The claw can grab the ball off of the hull and place it through the hoop.  The claw can grab the stranded vessel and tug it to safety.  The claw can grab the enemy vessel by the side and flip it over.  The claw can also grab the buoy from the hull and place it into the water.
Scoop- The scoop will be mounted on the front end of the VEX robot and only be used for the terrestrial challenge.  A winch and pulley system will be attached to the scoop in order to allow it to move up and down.  As it approaches the piping plover nest, the scoop will be lowered and the robot moved forward.  The eggs will slide into the scoop, and then it will be raised.
Slingshot- The sling shot will be mounted to the VEX robot’s aquatic variant at an angle.  A ball will be placed in the sling of the slingshot and a mechanical arm, attached to the rack gear box bracket, will pull the sling back.  At the proper moment, the sling will be released and the ball will fly through the air and through the help.
Pinball Mechanism- This will be mounted to the aquatic version of the VEX robot at an angle.   A ball will be placed at the end of the plunger.  A mechanical arm will pull back the plunger and let it go.  This is the same basic idea as the slingshot; although, this will require more energy to pull than the sling shot.
Mechanical Arm with a Hook-This will be mounted to the aquatic variant of the VEX robot and be used to tug the stranded vessel.  As the VEX robot approaches the stranded vessel, the arm will drop into the stranded vessel.  The hook will latch on to it and the VEX robot will propel forward tugging the vessel behind it.  When the destination is reached, the arm will be raised again.  This could also be used to sink the enemy vessel.  It either will grab the edge of the enemy vessel and pull down, or grab the bottom and flip up.   A different arm, mounted horizontally, will knock the buoy off of the hull and into the water.
Magnet- The magnet will be attached to the aft end the VEX robot and to the stranded vessel.  Once the VEX robot has lined up with the opposing magnets, they will be turned on.  The VEX robot will carry on to the destination at which point the magnets will be turned off and the vessel will have reached its destination. 
Bucket- A small bucket will be attached to the side of the VEX robot.  This will be dipped into the water and the water will be dumped into the enemy vessel.  This will eventually sink the enemy vessel.
Slide- This will be a trough mounted on the hull of the VEX robot.  A buoy will be placed at the top; when the destination is reached, the trough will be raised and the buoy will slide out of the trough and into the water.  The trough will be lowered back down and the VEX robot will carry on with the rest of the course.
Rationale Report:
            After Brandl had gathered his ideas on what to make, he had to decide what he was actually going to use on the VEX robot that would be his senior project.  Before Brandl could begin any construction on the VEX robot, he had to first conduct a rationale report in order to find the best apparatus for each challenge.  For each challenge, he came up with three alternate solutions that could be used to complete each task.  The next part of this process is to decide which solution would be the best to complete each task.  To decide this, he came up with four sets of criteria that each apparatus has to meet in order to be considered a viable solution.  These criteria are access of materials, accuracy, ease of production, and efficiency.

The access of materials considers how readily available to him.  Accuracy determines how well each apparatus will be able to hit its target.  The ease of production is a measure of how difficult it will be to construct each apparatus.  The efficiency tells how well each apparatus will be able to complete each task with the given power supplies.  Below is the rationale report he used.

	Solution 1	Solution 2	Solution 3
Challenge 1: Placing a Ball Through a Hoop
Criteria	Claw	Catapult	Pinball Mechanism
Access of Materials	5	3	2
Accuracy	4	2	2
Ease of Production	4	4	3
Efficiency	5	4	3
Total	18	13	10
Challenge 2:Towing a Friendly Vessel	Claw	Mechanical Arm	Magnets
Criteria
Access of Materials	5	5	2
Accuracy	4	5	5
Ease of Production	4	5	2
Efficiency	4	4	5
Total	17	19	14
Challenge 3: Sinking Enemy Vessel	Claw	Mechanical Arm	Bucket
Criteria
Access of Materials	5	5	4
Accuracy	3	4	4
Ease of Production	4	4	2
Efficiency	2	4	2
Total	14	17	12
Challenge 3: Planting a Buoy	Claw	Mechanical Arm	Slide
Criteria
Access of Materials	5	5	4
Accuracy	4	3	5
Ease of Production	4	4	4
Efficiency	5	3	4
Total	18	15	17

Each of the alternate solutions was given a score from 1 to 5.  One is the lowest score and five is the highest score.  Each of the scores was added together, and the solution with the highest score will be the final solution.  The claw will be used to put the pall through the hoop and plant the buoy.  The mechanical arm will be used to sink the enemy vessel and tug the friendly vessel.  The scissors will be used to cut the twine.

Plan of Procedures:

After Brandl had decided what to produce on the final product, he had to come up with a step-by-step instruction guide on how to build his VEX robot.  Keep in mind that Brandl is the electrical engineer.  The plan of procedures for the electrical engineer begins while the plan of procedures for the mechanical engineer is being completed.

1.      Attach the PIC Microcontroller to the center of the structural hull with a screw at each corner.

2.      Attach the receiver module to the left of the PIC Microcontroller with a screw in each corner.

3.      Connect the receiver module and the PIC Microcontroller by plugging in the receiver module’s wire into the port labeled “R1.”

4.      Connect the power pack into the appropriate port on the PIC Microcontroller.

5.      Attach a servo to the inside, forward, starboard side of the hull with two screws in order to attach to the mechanical arm.

6.      Connect the servo wire to the motor port on the PIC Microcontroller.

7.      Attach a motor to the port, aft, projection of structure and connect it to the shaft. This shaft connects to the claw.

8.      Connect the motor to the 29-motor controller and connect that to the PIC Microcontroller.

9.      Connect a servo to the claw.

10.  Connect the servo wire to the servo extension wires.

11.  Connect the end of the servo extension wire to the PIC Microcontroller.

12.  Connect a motor to each side of the aft end of the hull with two screws each.

13.  Attach the shafts to the propellers to these motors.

14.  Connect the wires of the motors to the 29 motor controllers.

15.  Connect the 29 motor controller wires to the PIC Microcontroller.

16.  Charge the battery to the remote controller and the power pack.

Final Product Construction:

            Now that Brandl had completed all of the steps, he could now begin production.  The mechanical engineer had his own plan of procedures that he had to follow in order for Brandl to do his part.  Both Brandl and Brzozowski followed their plan of procedures in order to complete their VEX robot.  Images of construction have been distributed throughout the article.  When the “fine-bombing night” came around, Brandl and Brzozowski were able to complete each challenge in front of a large audience.  Overall the project was a success.