Photon is the training team for Spectrum 3847. Photon is run as a subset of Spectrum.

• Photon exists to allow new team members to have more hands-on experience with building a robot and competing at competition including drive team roles.

• During events, Photon rotates its drive team to allow more team members to gain experience.

• During Playoffs, a single-drive team is selected to compete in all playoff matches.

• 3847 and 8515 are sibling teams.

• All Photon team members are members of Spectrum 3847. All Spectrum team members are Photon team members

• Photon only competes in 2 district events each year. Photon does not compete at the District or FIRST Championship.

• Photon students may attend all Spectrum events including District and FIRST Championship

• Photon's mascot is a plush purple dinosaur named Photon.

Photon is providing a model for other teams to serve their communities better. Expanding our school's engineering and robotics program to include an FRC team just for first-year students has broadened our impact. It has allowed us to prepare our students better to help other new teams who are building similar robots based on the Everybot design and work with them to have more successful seasons.

3847 Robot Name: Ultraviolet

Photon 8515

Principal Sponsors

Sponsors

3847 Robot Name: Infrared

Photon 8515

3847 Robot Name: X-Ray

Photon 8515

Robot Name: Gamma Ray

Robot Name: Infrared

Robot Name: Ultraviolet

Our Story

Spectrum evolved out of two determined teams and copious amounts of determination. We were originally the rival engineering teams of St. Agnes Academy, an all-girls school, and Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, an all-boys school. The St. Agnes Engineering Team began in 1993, participating in various competitions, while the Strake Jesuit Engineering Team began in 2008. After competing against each other for three years in the BEST competition, we were interested in undertaking a new challenge that would test our ability to the extreme.

The students met to discuss the future of such a program individually and began discussing the possibility of creating a joint FIRST Robotics Competition Team, which we knew would be a huge undertaking. However, we also knew that joining forces would provide an opportunity to create a team stronger than St. Agnes or Strake Jesuit could create separately. With our shared passion for robotics, we resolved our differences and began to coordinate our actions together on our first team challenge: garnering the support of sponsors and our school administrators. The joining of the two teams is a major part of Spectrum's history and defines us as a team that is willing and able to overcome any obstacle by using the many talents that each member brings.

Mission Statement

Spectrum’s mission is to create and cultivate opportunities in which students are able to grow mentally and realize their true potential. Our students develop life skills through the promotion of premier qualities, such as amity, volunteerism, dedication, and ebullience. As an engineering team, we believe that every team member has a special place in the process and creation of our robots. We endorse team unity and bonding through integrity, confidence, and chivalry. Our team deepens the bonds between students by allowing them to interact in a safe and nurturing environment that promotes an exploration of ingenuity. We hope to facilitate a love of individuality through the appreciation of the students' varying abilities and qualities.

Founded in 1905, St. Agnes Academy is an all-girls school Catholic college preparatory school dedicated to producing young women with intellectual curiosity, who work for social justice and who act with integrity and compassion in the Dominican tradition. The St. Agnes engineering was founded in 1996, competing in the following competitions: 1996—National Engineering Design Challenge, 1997—Texas Experimental Aeronautics Solution (TExAS), 1998-2000—Texas Engineering Challenge, and 2001-2011 - Boosting Engineering, Science, and Technology (BEST).

Strake Jesuit College Preparatory was founded in 1960 as Jesuit Catholic preparatory school. The Strake Jesuit Engineering team was founded in the fall of the 2007. The team has competed in: 2008-2011—Boosting Engineering, Science, and Technology (BEST), 2009-The Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS), and 2010-2011-VEX Robotics.

Robot Name: Ultraviolet

Robot Name: X-Ray

Robot Name: Gamma Ray

Robot Name: X-Ray

Robot Name: Infrared

• Public CAD File

Robot Name: Gamma Ray

Robot Name: Ultraviolet

Spectrum has created and collected hundreds of resources to help FRC teams.

Maximizing the 1st week of build season: FMC 2024

Top Tips From Top Teams: FIRST Mentor Conference 2024

How Open Build Blog Makes Us Better: FMC 2024

The Development and A Team Models multiple teams at a single school by Allen Gregory & Norman Morgan: FMC 2023

2020-2024

2016-2019

2012 - 2015

C - Control System

D - Design and CAD

B - Build

S - Strategy

M - Media

A - Awards

Recommended Software

• • Works with all modules, motors, gyros, etc.

• • Only works if you are using exclusively CTRE motors, encoders and gyro

Swerve Requirements

• 4 Modules = $280 to $365 each

• 4 Steering Encoders (May be included with module) = $30 to $90 each

• 4 Drive Motors+Controllers = $130 to $200 each

• 4 Steering Motors = $130 to $200 each

• 1 Gyro = $90 to $200 each

• Total: ~$2300 to ~$3600

There are 4 vendors of modules

• • 3in MAXSwerve (includes steering encoder)

• • MK4, MK4i, MK4n, or MK4c

• • ThriftySwerve 2.0 (includes steering encoder)

• • Swerve X2, X2t, X2i, X2S*, X2Si* (*includes steering encoder)

• All of the posted options are good quality.

• An SDS module can be purchased with the Drive Base Opt Voucher from AndyMark

Gyro

• CTRE
• AndyMark
• Redux Robotics

Steering Encoders

• Each module allows for a certain set of encoders to work with them.

• CTRE
• WCP
• The Thrifty Bot
• Redux Robotics

Other Things to consider

• Steering Encoder Zeroing

• Module Protection (motors, encoders, etc)

• Coordinate Systems

• Spare Parts

• Programming Control Layout and Features

• • Library of Robot Photos to get inspiration on future designs

• • This is an accumulation of information to help design FRC robots from physics and design basics all the way to FRC COTS parts. There are nearly 200 slides that were used to teach FRC design each week during the fall semester of 2017.

We’ve been using a version of this cart since 2021-2022. We have two of them now, and are likely making a third soon.

Features

• Small footprint: at 2ft x 3ft, it is legal to go onto the field if needed.

• Adjustable: can easily change the height of the robot for tall robots, etc. We screw in 2 4x4 wood blocks to the top rails to place the robot on; this supports it well and doesn’t scratch the belly pan much.

• Swerve Access: The cart doesn’t have a top deck so we can easily work on our swerve modules under our robot while it is is on the cart. Wheel swaps, cleaning, etc are very easy.

• Collapsible: By removing a few bolts, the robot rails can be removed and the handle can fold down. This made it easy for us to ship it with our robot and pit supplies to Chezy Champs in 2023. Can also fit in most car trunks.

• Customizable: Can easily mount other accessories to the cart. We have made mounts to attach our driver station to the handle side. We have thought about others such as water bottle holders, etc. but haven’t made them.

• Common FRC Build Materials and Practices: uses the same techniques, materials, and fasteners that we use to build our robots.

• Bottom shelf with lip: The rail on the bottom shelf prevents items from rolling off; we can have bolts and tools down there without them falling off as we move.

Photos

Materials

• 1x1 Square Extrusion: can use pre-punched or regular and add a few holes. We have used REV 1x1 for both our carts. (#TeamREV)

• 90 degree and T gussets: can use any vendor or custom make them. Can use 90s for all of them if you want.

• ⅜” or ½” Plywood base: Simple rectangle cut out with some holes for the casters.

• ⅞” Round tube: for the handle with star nuts pressed in. Could use more square tube but it’s not as comfortable to push/pull.

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

Electronics

• Connectors
• 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

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.

• 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

• Chain: #25 Chain

• Belts/Pulleys: 5mm HTD Belts and Pulleys (You can 3D print pulleys)

Drivetrain / Swerve

• 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

Toolboxes

• Having a toolbox you can take to events and have in your pit is very useful.

• 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.

Community

You aren’t in this alone. Other teams and volunteers are happy to help answer questions and solve problems.

Public communities

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.

Resource Collections/Workshops

• Presentations covering FRC manufacturing, controls, awards, and more

• • One of the most complete FRC design resources published to date.

• • One of the best ways to learn about building FRC robots is by understanding how teams have built their robots. These videos give you a look into their designs.

Team Organization

• FRC teams should be operating at Stage 4 or 5.

Mentorship

Outreach

Happiness/Kindness/Gracious Professionalism

Programming

• Beginner Java

  • • A good introduction for complete beginners to programming and to Java.
• • These are the official manuals for setting up the programming environment and learning the FRC-specific library.

• • Really nicely put-together tutorial to get started using FRC Java

• Code Repositories

  • • HelixUtilties is very useful
• PID / Control Theory
• Motion Magic and SRX Control
• SparkMAX Examples
• Path Planning

  • • A library for Generating paths using 254's 2014 code and following them via Talon SRX Motion Profiles
• Vision
• Workshops

FRC Control and Electrical Systems

Pneumatics

Engineering Design Process and Strategies

Robot Tech Documents

• • 2nd tab has Tech Documents

• FRC#254 Technical Binders
• 971's Robot Overviews

Mechanical

• • Process that allows for rapid construction of machines.

  • Learn how to design those finger joints used in many laser-cut and routed parts.

• • “Covers some physics and equations that are used in JVNs calculator and some commonly used design concepts/principles related to motors, drivetrains, and arms.”

• • A variety of FRC mechanical resources and information.

Prototyping

Motors & Gearboxes

Drive Trains

Manipulators

Bumpers

Sheet Metal Design

Calculators

• • Useful design sheet for quick robot calculations and documentation for FRC robots

• • This is one of the most useful items for mechanical design in FRC. You can easily see how changing a sprocket or switching a motor will change your mechanism.

Round Belting / Polycord

Advanced

• • “Dan Gelbart made a fortune in R&D for his company Creo. His prototyping was done at home, in his basement, using tools on par with what many of us have access to at our local hackerspaces and universities.”

• • Lectures, Notes and Materials from an MIT Professor (FRC Mentor). Fantastic resource for mechanical engineering knowledge.

• • Presentation on mechanical design principles many of which apply to FRC Robots.

• • Similar to the above but the examples are specific to wheelchair design,which can translate easily to FRC robots.

• • Ignore the parts specifically about combat robots (Weight classes and weapons). The materials section alone is worth the read.

1. Field Marking Changes

The STAGE ZONE and associated tape markings have been shrunk and are now bounded by the inside of the Truss Legs.

2. Ranking Points

3. Coopertition Point

4. Game Rule Updates

Q101. Be reasonable with the Head Referee.

Most situations will likely only require one or two people to talk with the Head Referee. Still, we aren't going to institute a rule that doesn’t allow other drive team members (including adult drive coaches) to provide information or listen to the conversations. Please be mindful that the Head Referee makes the final decision on calls but may be advised by other referees and the Event Director (who replaces HQ at off-season events). Also, please remember that G212 is a rule, and the Head referee may give YELLOW or RED CARDS for any interactions that are deemed to be egregious. We are all working for the inspiration of our students. Be polite, reasonable, and respectful; we will all have a great event.

G302. *You can’t bring/use anything you want.

Clothes and shoes are okay, and backpacks and items in your pockets or backpacks are okay if they don’t violate the other rules stated in G302.

G417. *Stay out of other ROBOTS.

A ROBOT may not use a COMPONENT outside its FRAME PERIMETER (except its BUMPERS) to initiate more than inconsequential contact with an opponent ROBOT inside the vertical projection of that opponent ROBOT’S FRAME PERIMETER.

G418. *This isn’t combat robotics.

A ROBOT may not damage or functionally impair an opponent ROBOT in either of the following ways as a direct result of the contact:

• A. deliberately, as perceived by a REFEREE.

• B. regardless of intent, by initiating contact inside the vertical projection of an opponent ROBOT’S FRAME PERIMETER.

G422 PODIUM Protection

A ROBOT may not contact (either directly or transitively through a GAME PIECE CONTROLLED by either ROBOT and regardless of who initiates contact) an opponent ROBOT whose BUMPERS are in contact with their PODIUM.

G424. STAGE Protection

A ROBOT may not contact (either directly or transitively through GAME PIECE CONTROLLED by either ROBOT and regardless of who initiates contact) an opponent ROBOT if either of the following criteria are met:

A. the opponent ROBOT meets the criteria for ONSTAGE or

B. any part of either ROBOT’S BUMPERS are in the opponent’s STAGE ZONE during the last 20 seconds of the MATCH.

G426. COACHES and other teams: hands off the controls.

A ROBOT shall be operated solely by that team's DRIVERS and/or HUMAN PLAYERS.

5. Inspection Rules

+5 pounds weight allowance and no formal inspections.

6. Alliance Selection

1. If we have more than 32 teams, The standard championship subdivision-level alliance selection process, including the four robots per alliance rules outlined in the game manual, will be used. 1-8, 8-1, 1-8

2. If we have fewer than 32 teams. We will use the standard 3-team alliance format from district/regional events.

3. At the beginning of Alliance Selection, the Emcee will ask if any teams would like to withdraw from Alliance Selection. Any teams wishing not to play can withdraw at this time. After Alliance #8 has made its first pick, teams are no longer allowed to decline invitations, and all further picks will be automatically accepted.

7. Video Review

Given that the technology allows it (the video system doesn’t go down, etc.), there will be a video review process.

• Each Alliance is allowed one challenge/review in the playoffs. The alliance captain will be provided a video review coupon.

• Video review coupons must be given to the head ref within 2 minutes after scores are posted for that match to be reviewed.

• Only match-affecting calls and yellow/red cards can be reviewed.

• The score or lack of score being reviewed must be significant enough to affect the match's outcome. The Head Referee can choose not to review any call they do not believe will change the match's outcome.

• Video evidence must be indisputable to change a call. The point is to receive credit for a missed score, not to debate further a close call on which a referee already used their best judgment. The Head Referee's decision is final after a review.

• Only the head referee will use the event-provided video during a video review. Referees will not review any other video footage, including camcorders, phones, or tablets not provided by the event.

• At their discretion, the Head Referee may choose to review any ruling throughout the event. Please do not ask for a video review at any time other than giving the referee your alliance’s video review coupon during the playoffs. All other requests will not be granted.

8. Soft Time Cap

We will institute a soft time cap during the event to allow teams to leave in a reasonable amount of time if there are match delays. At the discretion of the event organizers, if the Finals start after 6 p.m. Central Time, we will move to a “Best of 1” elimination format instead of the usual “Best 2 of 3” format.

9. Break Changes

Due to the lack of awards, all pre-scheduled breaks in Elims have been reduced to 8 minutes long. This is to speed up the process.

Texas Robotics Invitational (TRI) is an off-season event in Houston, Texas designed to provide more experience in FRC. TRI is planned and organized by Spectrum FRC#3847 with the help of Houston area teams, and volunteers.

2025 Texas Robotics Invitational

Dates:

• Setup and Load-in: Thursday, June 26th

• Girls Drive and Qualification Matches: Friday, June 27th

• Qualification Matches and Playoffs: Saturday, June 28th

Where

Team List (Coming Soon)

Contact:

Want to Sponsor TRI?

1. Event Rule Changes

E108 *Some things don’t belong at events. Do not bring or use the following:

A. skateboards B. ‘hoverboards’ C. drones D. bottled gas tanks (e.g. helium) E. noisy devices or noisemakers, such as floor stompers, whistles and/or air horns F. walkie-talkies G. scooters, except for those used for accommodations H. Full Face Mascots

E406 *No Tall Ladders allowed

No Ladders with more than 3 steps or taller than 5ft are allowed to be used by team at any point for any reason at the Event.

E802 *Pit person limit during Ceremonies is 5

No more than 5 team members may be in the pits during Ceremonies outside of Playoff MATCHES.

2. Field Marking Changes

There is now a PROCESSOR PATHWAY that connects an alliance’s PROCESSOR AREA and ALLIANCE AREA Marked by a 2” Gaffers tape line. Only HUMAN PLAYERS may use this pathway and must make a reasonable effort to stay on the line when moving between the 2 zones.

3. Driveteams

6.2 DRIVE TEAM

A DRIVE TEAM is a set of up to 5 people from the same FIRST Robotics Competition team responsible for team performance for a specific MATCH. There are 4 specific roles on a DRIVE TEAM which ALLIANCES can use to assist ROBOTS with REEFSCAPE.

6.3.1 DRIVETEAMS

DRIVE TEAMS prepare for a MATCH by staging in the appropriate areas, according to their role on the DRIVE TEAM, and by identifying themselves accordingly. DRIVE TEAM starting conditions are listed below, and a DRIVE TEAM obstructing or delaying any of the conditions is at risk of violating G301.

• A. only DRIVE TEAM members assigned to the upcoming MATCH are present,

• B. For QUALIFICATION and PLAYOFF MATCHES only DRIVE TEAM members whose ROBOTS have passed initial, complete Inspection are present,

• C. any number of HUMAN PLAYERS are staged in their CORAL STATION AREAS or PROCESSOR AREA,

• D. HUMAN PLAYERS not included in C or D, DRIVERS, and COACHES are in their ALLIANCE AREA and behind the HUMAN STARTING LINE,

• F. DRIVE TEAM members clearly display their designated buttons above their waists (COACH - “Coach”, DRIVERS and HUMAN PLAYERS - “Drive Team”

• G. if a Playoff MATCH, the ALLIANCE CAPTAIN clearly displays their designated ALLIANCE CAPTAIN identifier (e.g. hat or armband).

4. Ranking Points