Illuminations: Young Team Guide
A Guide for young FRC teams to quickly understand key aspects of FIRST Robotics.
Team
Students and Coaches
Your students and coaches/mentors are working together to build the robot. There aren’t any rules about who has to do what.
You don’t have to have a team captain or anything like that. It can cause drama. Allow your students to take on responsibility.
You should have an adult who can make decisions for the team. This is often the head coach.
SubTeams/Pods:
Divide your robot into 4-6 mechanisms and divide your students into those groups. Examples: Drive, Intake, Elevator, Climber
Have a Mechanism Lead (or 2) assigned to each group as the project manager and have students interested in controls (programming/electrical) in each group.
Have bins for each mechanism to store parts and supplies.
Design Recaps
Have Weekly Design Recaps to go over the state of the robot and your build plan.
Talk about the next steps, what things need to be ordered, tested, etc.
Communication is very important.
Fundraising
Awards
Please nominate 2 students for the Dean’s List every year and nominate 1 mentor for the Woodie Flowers Award Finalist every year. Even if you don’t think they can win the nomination in and of itself is recognition for the hard work that people put into the program. The essays don’t need to take a long time to complete.
During the season you should identify one Judged award that your team best qualifies for and prepare your team to talk to the judges about that aspect of your team. You can print a couple of handouts and work with your students to go over the talking points and details that they should communicate to the judges during their session.
Robot
Programming
We strongly recommend Java Programming and using the Command Based Template
Electronics
Connectors
WAGO 221 Lever Nuts are the most useful connectors for motors
Inline 2 slot lever nuts work great for CAN and sensors
Wire
Use 12 AWG wires for motors
Use 18 AWG wires for most low-current things
Batteries
You should have 6 to 8 batteries for competition, along with 4+ chargers
Batteries: Duracell, REV MK Battery, AM MK Battery, or PowerSonic
Fasteners
Standardize on #10-32 bolts and nuts. Nearly everything on the robot can use that size.
Standardize on 3/16” Pop/blind rivets.
Zip ties and VHB tape are often good enough for electronics, wires, etc.
Materials
Aluminum should be the most common metal on your robot.
Plastic Sheet: Polycarbonate is best, HPDE (cutting board) is okay, never use Acrylic
Tube / Extrusion
Use pre-punched/drill tubes normally in 1x1 and 2x1 sizes.
Use premade gussets/brackets
Shafts
Standarize on 1/2” Rounded Hex Shaft and Parts, 7075 is stronger than 6061
Compatible with 1/2” bearings, wheels, collars, etc.
Motors
We recommend standardizing on a single motor.
Either the WCP Kraken x60 or the REV Vortex+Spark Flex both are roughly $200 each
If you are on a budget ask teams near you to donate old brushed motors and controllers to you and use them until you can buy Brushless motors. Don’t buy any Brushed motors.
Motion
Gearboxes: REV Max Planetary Gearboxes
Chain: #25 Chain
Belts/Pulleys: 5mm HTD Belts and Pulleys (You can 3D print pulleys)
Drivetrain / Swerve
You should be figuring out a plan to get your team to use swerve modules. Look at our Swerve Guide for help
If you aren’t moving to swerve this year, you should be using the kit drive base upgraded motors that will go to swerve in future years.
There is no good reason to build a custom non-swerve drive-train anymore.
Shop
Tools
FIRST $2000 Purchase Guide - A Good list of the tools you should buy for your shop
Toolboxes
Having a toolbox you can take to events and have in your pit is very useful.
We have used Tstak drawers for this, but many other brands exist as well.
You shouldn’t build a “Super Pit” until you are in a place where that efficiency will help your program.
Organization
Getting bins and things you can get transported to events is very helpful.
We use normal Sterlite bins from Target/Walmart
3D Printed Parts
3D printing can be extremely useful for FRC Robots. You can make parts directly, templates to help cut and drill parts, etc.
PETG, PLA+, or higher-temperature filaments like nylons or polycarb all can work for FRC printed parts.
CNC Services
If you don’t have your own CNC Router yet you can have parts made by multiple vendors.
This is a good way to get into CAD and custom parts without the upfront cost.
Safety
Event
Load In
Try to arrive at the event when load-in begins.
Make sure you have your team rosters printed out and give them to pit admin to get your driver buttons and packet.
Inspection
Try to begin your inspection as early as possible. The inspectors are there to help make sure your robot is legal. They can tell you things you may need to change and help get you assistance, parts, tools, etc.
Ways to help get you selected for playoffs
Never miss a match; even if you can only drive that’s okay
Be kind and cooperative with everyone at the event
Drive team
Your two drivers should be the same students every match.
Your drive team should have an adult on it either as the coach or technician
The drive team is responsible for getting the robot to the field, communicating with your alliance partners, and executing the match plan.
Pit
You should have at least one pit student that stays in the pit the whole time
Keep your pit clean and organized
Your entire team will need safety glasses and closed-toed shoes in the pit.
Scouting
When limited on team members, try running only qualitative match scouting/find scouting alliances.
QR Scout can be run on any device and be configured to match your needs
Use existing resources like Statbotics and OPR to assist in making informed strategic decisions
Community
You aren’t in this alone. Other teams and volunteers are happy to help answer questions and solve problems.
Public communities
CheifDelphi.com is the water cooler for FRC. You can get your questions answered pretty quickly here from people all around the world.
FRC Discord Server is also very popular.
Regional Mentor Chats
Many regions/districts/countries have chat platforms that they use to communicate to each other. If you’re a mentor, ask your regional director, district organizer, or a veteran team in your area if they know of a community you can join.
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