ANDYMARK, INC 1

Bridging the GapFROM STRATEGIC ANALYSIS TO DETAILED DESIGN

DANNY BLAU

ANDYMARK, INC 2

Background•Started in FLL in 2002 – City Sights

• Started in FRC in 2004 – FIRST Frenzy

•Drove for alumni team in ‘07 and ’08

•Mentored various teams in Milwaukee and Minneapolis 2009-2012

•Lead mentor for 3184 in 2013 – Ultimate Assent

•Rocket Scientist (day job) 2012-13

•Lead technical mentor for 1529 starting 2014 – Ariel Assist

•Design Engineer (day job) for AndyMark, Inc. starting in 2013

•Years in FIRST: 13 / Age: 25 = 52%

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From A to B Strategic Analysis

•A break down of the game• How are points scored• How are they de-scored (if applicable)

•What’s the Meta-Game• What is the ranking system

•End Goal:• What does my robot/driver/HP team need to

do? • Ranked Priority list• Single sentence description

Detailed Design

•End Goal:

FRC 1529, FRC 3618, FRC 1425

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Design Space•Combining Tops-Down and Bottoms-Up

•Intent• Create visual representation on the space in the

robot that’s left your you design within

•Add in Sub Spaces for other elements of the robot that you have yet to design• Sub spaces are based on what style of

mechanism your team is using***

FRC 3184

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How to prepare your Design Space•Tops Down• Large scale parameters that can’t be broken• FORM THE MANUAL • Sub spacers

•Bottom Up• Detailed parts that already exist• Kit Chassis• Gearboxes• Motors• Electrical Components• Other COTS• Parts from past years• Etc.

FRC 3184

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***Quick Aside – Mechanism Selection•Things that matter• Reliability • Consistency• Maintainability• Can it be fixed or swapped within 5 minutes?

• Cycle rate/throughput potential• Driver Margin of Error• Integration with other robot systems

•Things that don’t matter• Is it Type A or Type B?• Strait shooter Vs Curved shooter• 1 wheel vs multi wheel shooters• 1 vs. 2 sided conveyers • Pneumatic Vs Motorized Vs Spring Tension Catapults

Start

1st Thing

2nd Thing

3rd Thing

Start

Thing A

2nd Thing A

Thing B Thing C

2nd Thing C

3rd Thing C

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Sub Spaces•These are shapes are to help design your specific mechanisms

•You must first know what type of mechanism you’re building • Prototyping• Mechanism Selection slide

•These shapes are totally defined by the game pieces and field• Read the Manual!• Understand the Manual!!!

FRC 1529

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Combining Sub-Spaces•Using separate design spaces for each component that moves independently

•Major assemblies should move as they will in real life

•Use this stage to dummy check • interferences • Interactions• Cyclical references• What elements will ‘snow ball’ in your favor• What elements ‘snow ball’ against you• Systems Engineering***

FRC 1529

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***Quick Aside – Systems Engineering•Mercedes 2014 F1 Engine• Total departure from convention• Totally epic performance• 18 of 19 pole positions• 16 of 19 race wins• 701 points (2nd place team 405)

• 2 F1 world titles

This cutaway drawing is courtesy of Paolo D'Alessio.

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Populating Your Sub-Space•Start to add in purchased parts

•Add in known Custom Parts

•Develop new parts from known points and constraints

•Start with low detail proto-parts• Only add time consuming details when

Production ready• Fasteners • Lightning cutouts

FRC 1529

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Take a Moment – have a CDR•Gather the team and outside perspective and scrutinize the design

•Leave no stone un-turned

•Analyze all spacers and low detail parts

•If CDR is successful: 1. Complete detailed design can be finished2. known parts can be release for fab while

dependent parts are finished3. All parts designed and released for fab4. BoM Finalized5. Remaining COTS ordered

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Idea Sketch Part Sub-Assembly

Major-Assembly

Traditional CAD Work Flow

Check

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Proposed CAD Work Flow

Game Analysis

Design Space

Sub-Spaces

Part Design

Populating Sub-Space

Design References

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Work Flow

Game/Manual Design Space

Major COTS

Field Constraints

Mechanism selection

Strategic Analysis

Prototyping

Sub Spaces Populate Sub Spaces

COTS

Known Custom parts

New Derivative Parts Critical Design Review

Detailed design

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Example – AndyMark Ri3D•Setup Design Space

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Example – AndyMark Ri3D•Add Sub Spaces

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Example – AndyMark Ri3D•Populate Sub-Spaces

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Example – AndyMark Ri3D•Add help from friends

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Example•Dummy Check (CDR)

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Example – AndyMark Ri3D•(Mostly) Finished CAD

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Thank You! Questions?

Danny Blau

Danny@andymark.com

@dannyblau