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What's with the Control Award?

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Has your team been crafty with sensors on your robot? Apply for the Control Award!

Does your robot have a complex or unique autonomous program? Apply for the Control Award!

Is your robot reliable during autonomous program? Apply for the Control Award!

Does your robot have multiple autonomous programs? Apply for the Control Award!

Is your driver-controlled robot movement enhanced with an autonomous routine? Apply for the Control Award!

Want to show off what you have programmed your robot to do? Apply for the Control Award!

In FIRST Tech Challenge, Teams are eligible and considered for MOST FTC awards simply by attending an FTC competition. There are a few exceptions, and those exceptions only exist because more information is required. The Control Award is one of those Awards.

 
However, applying for the Control Award is easy and open to every FTC team. Fill out the Control Award Content Sheet (one for each autonomous or driver-controlled program) and at your event, ask the Pit Administrator how to deliver your team’s Control Award Content Sheet(s) in application for the award.

All necessary information and forms are found in the Game Manual Part I in Appendix 3, including an example completed Content Sheet. 

We know your team’s robot has great programming going on. Apply for the Control Award!

3D Printing for FIRST Teams (5 of 8)

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3D Printing for FIRST Teams


Authors: Kari Karwedsky, PTC, and Colm Prendergast, Mentor for FIRST Robotics CompetitionTeam 1965

3D Printing Work Flow

The 3D Printing Work Flow that we use is composed of 7 steps.  

Step 1: Design your part using PTC Creo.
Step 2: Export Model from PTC Creo in .stl format.
Step 3: Prepare Model and Generate g-code file (or equivalent) for the printer.
Step 4: Prepare and Level the 3D Printer Build Plate.
Step 5: Load printer filament.
Step 6: Print Model.
Step 7: Clean up printed model.

In this blog post, we will look more closely at Step 3.

3D Printing Step 3: Prepare Model and Generate g-code file (or equivalent) for the printer.

In Step 1 we introduced two model files demonstrating a 0.5” shaft and bore that are intended to be connected together. We will use these as an example to demonstrate the rest of the 3D Printing process. Since we are using a MakerBot Replicator 2 printer we will be using the MakerBot Desktop software to prepare the models and run the print process.
MakerBot Desktop Software
The Desktop presents a graphical representation of the Replicator 2 Build platform. We will add our models and position them on the Plate. The UI controls can be used to move the parts around the plate as well as scale them as needed. Note that the MakerBot software uses the Metric system. Most of our modeling is Creo is done using Imperial Units. This mismatch must be corrected and is easily done using the convenient inch->mm button on the Desktop Scale Menu.
MakerBot Desktop Software with bore example

Here is the completed print setup with several models ready for printing.
MakerBot Desktop Software with multiple parts for printing
When you are finished with placement and scaling of models it is time to adjust the print settings by opening the Settings Menu. The Settings controls the parameters of the MakerBot Slicer program. The slicer program takes the model information and converts it into a set instructions that will control the printer head and plate movements. This information is often sent to a 3D printer as a g-code file. G-code files are used for to convey machine tool movements in a wide variety of CNC tools. MakerBot uses its own format called a .x3g file. The MakerBot Print Settings (or Slicer) Menu is illustrated below. 
MakerBot Print Settings (or Slicer) Menu
First of all, the Raft and Supports settings should always be on. When Raft is enabled the printer will create a multi-layer plastic base under the model. This serves several useful purposes. It creates a stable base on which to build the model since the model plastic will always do a better adhering to a base of the same material. The 1st layer of the Raft is drawn to make it easier to separate the Raft from the build platform. Finally, although more stable the Raft is also easy to remove from the model making cleanup easier when the print is complete. The Supports are used to supports parts of the model that are not supported by other portions of the model during the build. You can think of Supports like scaffolding that is used to support construction of a bridge. While under construction the bridge is fragile and cannot support itself. Once complete it is self-supporting and the scaffolding/supports can be removed.

The Basic Resolution Controls regulate the print layer height. Most printers on the market today can support heights as low as 0.1mm resolution. The MakerBot Low, Standard and High resolutions offer layer heights of 0.3mm, 0.2mm and 0.1mm respectively. Smaller layer heights will result in better quality models and smoother surfaces. However, the print times can get substantially longer. For our project the print times at the different resolutions are as follows:

After some experimentation we standardized on using the Standard Resolution (0.2mm Layer Height) for our parts. This offers reasonable model accuracy versus print time trade-off.

The “Advanced Options Tab” contains material density controls that allow the user to control the strength of the final model. In addition to a Layer Height adjustment the number of Shells used in the print and the percentage infill can be controlled. The models are never printed to be a solid block. The printed part contains and outer shell and an internal honeycomb pattern that provide structural support. When a model is being printed the perimeter of every layer is drawn as a continuous line. This forms a shell around the model and is its outer layer. More shells give a stronger outer layer and are desirable for making parts stronger. The interior volume is filled with a honeycomb structure. The density of this is controlled by the infill parameter. This adjusts the percentage of the internal volume that is plastic. The following table illustrates the Default (Standard Resolution) and Recommended Settings from printing parts intended for FRC Robots.

In general, structural parts should use the recommended settings. Cosmetic parts can get away with the Default settings. Note that the recommended setting will increase the print time on our example parts to 3Hr, 34mins. When finished adjusting the Settings simply save them or create a profile to save them for future re-use. 

At this point are ready to print. There are two ways to do this. You can print directly to the printer or you can save to a print file. The print file can be used on an SD card in the printer without any computer connection. This is some times more convenient. It can also be more reliable, we have had several long (>12Hr) print jobs crash because the computer goes to sleep or is rebooted by a Windows Update. If you do decide to print directly from a computer you will need to make sure that your printer is setup at this point (complete Steps 4 and 5 before going any further). Hit the PRINT button when ready. The software will then prepare the model for export.
MakerBot Desktop Software Export Window
The export window includes some useful estimates of Print Time and Filament usage. We will now use the Print Preview to examine the print process. This is a convenient feature that allows the user to see how the model will be printed layer by layer and to visualize the tool path movement. Note that you will need a reasonably power CPU/GPU combination to use this interactively. Most Laptops will struggle with medium to large size prints. 

The Print Preview Window is illustrated below.
MakerBot Desktop Software Print Preview Window
The Layer Number can be adjusted to see any part of the print process.
MakerBot Desktop Software Print Preview Window with Layer 49 selected
Finally, we can also see the print head travel moves between the different parts of the print.
MakerBot Desktop Software Print Preview Window with Travel Moves displayed
During a Travel Move the plastic extrusion stops to move the print head between different sections of the print. However, there will be residual plastic stringers left behind by the moves that will need to be removed later.

Once you are done with the Toolpath Visualization tool, close it and hit the Export Now button on the Export Window.  You will be prompted for a file name. After that the design will be verified and saved to the selected file. You can now save the Desktop project as a .thing file and close MakerBot Desktop.

CAD Files

CAD Files for this section can be found on the accompanying PTC Community document (http://communities.ptc.com/docs/DOC-6545) in the attachment, 3D_printing_blog_section5CAD.zip.  The CAD files include
  • 0.5” Shaft / Bore MakerWare .thing File: hub_shaft_example.thing 
  • 0.5” Shaft / Bore MakerWare ..x3g File: hub_shaft_example.x3g



3D Printing for FIRST Teams (6 of 8)

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3D Printing for FIRST Teams


Authors: Kari Karwedsky, PTC, and Colm Prendergast, Mentor for FIRST Robotics CompetitionTeam 1965

3D Printing Work Flow

The 3D Printing Work Flow that we use is composed of 7 steps.  

Step 1: Design your part using PTC Creo.
Step 2: Export Model from PTC Creo in .stl format.
Step 3: Prepare Model and Generate g-code file (or equivalent) for the printer.
Step 4: Prepare and Level the 3D Printer Build Plate.
Step 5: Load printer filament.
Step 6: Print Model.
Step 7: Clean up printed model.

In this blog post, we will look more closely at Step 4.


3D Printing Step 4: Preparing and Leveling the 3D Printer Build Plate.

When getting ready to print, the Build Plate must be prepared and leveled. In most cases 3D Printer Build Plates are either Polycarbonate plastic or Glass. The Replicator 2 shipped with a Polycarbonate Build plate which was light and permitted direct printing. However, there were many reports of the plates warping which caused print problems (prints would not adhere uniformly to the plate). We did encounter this and had our plate replaced by MakerBot. There is a Glass plate available for the Replicator2. The Glass plate is substantially flatter and yields much more reliable results. Newer MakerBot printers and those of many other manufacturers now use glass build plates. We have used a mix of the Glass and Polycarbonate plates. The Polycarbonate plates have worked fine for smaller models that are placed in the middle of the plate. Glass does yield better results for larger models that use more of the plate area. A MakerBot Replicator2 with the MakerBot Glass Build Plate is illustrated below.
MakerBot Replicator2 with the MakerBot Glass Build Plate
One drawback of glass is that the plastic will not stick to it. Generally, it is recommended to use Blue Painters Tape on the build platform. There are several options available including plate sized Blue Tape sheets from MakerBot or rolls of painter tape from any Hardware store. These have not proved to be the best options. The plastic is hot when it leaves the extruder and cools down quickly. As it cools it will tend to shrink. As it shrinks it will exert pressure on the tape and sometime pull the tape off the plate during printing. This results in the print warping while in progress. A tape with high adhesive properties will avoid this. We found the following tape that works really well (http://www.zoro.com/i/G4241036/). It also comes in 6” wide roles which will cover most of the Build Plate width. When putting the tape on the plate make sure that you apply a lot of pressure to ensure that it is firmly attached. Also ensure that there are no bubbles or creases in the tape. This tape can also be used on Polycarbonate plates to avoid potential scratching of the plate when removing the finished parts. Using this tape and Rafts has cut down on the number and severity of part warping issues that we have had. When done installing the tape insert the plate into the printer. The Glass build plate with the blue tape is shown below.
MakerBot Replicator2 with the MakerBot Glass Build Plate covered in blue tape
The next step is to level the build plate. Newer printers are doing a better job of automating the procedure. For the Replicator2 this a manual process that requires using a business card to judge the gap size between the extruder and the plate in different places. This is a difficult process to get repeatable because you are relying on (1) judging how easy it is to move the card under the extruder when it is in contact with the extruder and (2) the card can get compressed by this process resulting in uneven heights. Overall, this process is less than satisfactory and can take a lot of time to get right.

There are two simple ways that this can be improved. The first is to use feeler gauges instead of the business card. These are available in most hardware and automotive stores. We measured the thickness of the MakerBot reference business card and found it to be approximately 0.005” or 0.127mm thick. We experimented by using slightly larger and smaller feeler gauges but found the thickness of 0.005" to be the best options. A smaller gauge resulted in the plate being closer to the extruder which could result in extruder clogs. Using a larger feeler gauge increased the risk of layer separation during printing.

The second improvement was to get rid of the need to rely on feeling the pressure exerted on the feeler gauge while adjusting the plate-extruder gap. The feeler gauge is reflective i.e. you can see the reflection of the extruder (and hence the gap) in the gauge as it is lowered to the correct height. This is illustrated below.
Adjusting the plate-extruder gap
In this case the gap between the extruder and feeler gauge is minimized but the feeler gauge can still move freely. This is the ideal gap size.

Using this visual approach yielded more repeatable results. Once the plate is leveled the filament can be loaded.

The FIRST AmeriCorps VISTAs

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By Samantha Fleming
FIRST VISTA, Virginia
As ambassadors of FIRST, I’m sure everyone is well aware of what a job it can be to explain our group, our mission, and even our name. AmeriCorps VISTAs take that confusion one step further when we try to explain our specific job and our mission. The VISTA program is a subsidiary of AmeriCorps, a government-funded, volunteer-based organization dedicated to the alleviation of poverty in the United States. You might wonder, along with many others, what that has to do with FIRST or with robots. I questioned that myself at the beginning of my tenure here.

Samantha Fleming
A typical VISTA year will likely be spent among low-income schools, battered women, the homeless, or any other group in need of support. I’ve spent mine among enthusiastic students and their robots. What is so unique about the FIRST-AmeriCorps partnership is the scale and scope of its ability to improve lives. There are countless stories of students without direction who were inspired by FIRST, of students who never saw themselves as college-bound until they spent a year on a team. There’s little doubt of the impact that this program has on the individual. But, in my mind, that’s not what sets it apart from other programs.
Sustainability is such a buzzword these days- but what does it really mean and why does it matter? In a word, sustainability is what drew me to FIRST. While every individual success story is an achievement, more importantly, FIRST is promoting the education of a more competent, globally conscious, and relevant workforce as a whole. In doing this, we are facilitating economic growth on a global scale, which is poverty alleviation at its best! I imagine that the advent of the AmeriCorps program was intended to create the sort of grassroots progress that FIRST is in a unique position to generate.

FIRST-VISTA mission: pictoralized!
There is a high school team here in Richmond, Virginia that succeeded in truly selling me on the program. Team 384, Sparky, from Tucker High School, started a program called the “Lil’ Sparks LEGO Program” in the Fall of 2013. Their intention was to target developing countries that could benefit from the inspiration of their youngest students. Initially, because of the Disaster Blaster theme, this group began a partnership with schools in Haiti. They have gathered LEGOs and school supplies, wrote a STEM curriculum to go along with the materials, and have found resourceful ways of getting this “team in a box” concept to the destination schools across the world. Not only has this project already expanded to Ghana, Uganda, and a school for Syrian refugees, it’s also touched our local community by educating other students about these developing countries and their needs.

As a FIRST VISTA, I have had a hand in helping to encourage an intelligent, responsible, and compassionate group of students, and I feel confident that these students will go on to do great things to create a more prosperous world as a whole. Beyond its effectiveness as a STEM education program and for pioneering new engineering concepts, this program has evolved into a valuable sustainable development initiative, of which I am proud to have been a part.
VISTAs during Fall training (L-R): Ryan Utzman (WV), Samantha, Michael Lyden (WV), and Ryan Tesnow (LA)














3D Printing for FIRST Teams (7 of 8)

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3D Printing for FIRST Teams


Authors: Kari Karwedsky, PTC, and Colm Prendergast, Mentor for FIRST Robotics CompetitionTeam 1965

3D Printing Work Flow

The 3D Printing Work Flow that we use is composed of 7 steps.  

Step 1: Design your part using PTC Creo.
Step 2: Export Model from PTC Creo in .stl format.
Step 3: Prepare Model and Generate g-code file (or equivalent) for the printer.
Step 4: Prepare and Level the 3D Printer Build Plate.
Step 5: Load printer filament.
Step 6: Print Model.
Step 7: Clean up printed model.

In this blog post, we will look more closely at Steps 5 and 6.


3D Printing Step 5: Load printer filament.

Loading the Printer Filament is the last step to be completed prior to printing. Most 3D printers use spools of filament that are un-rolled as the filament is consumed. In our case we use 1kg roles of PLA filament. For this project we will use a roll of MakerBot “True Red” PLA filament with a 1.75mm diameter. 
MakerBot “True Red” PLA filament 
PLA is a bio-degradable plastic derived from corn starch (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polylactic_acid). It is commonly used in non-commercial 3D printers. It forms tough parts that do not tend to bend (compared to ABS) and does not require heated build plates. It does tend to absorb water so it is generally a good idea to store unused rolls in air-tight containers with silica gel moisture absorbing packets (rice will also do). 

Care should be taken when installing and removing rolls. It is important to ensure that the plastic never accidentally unwinds. Proper operation of the printer relies on the ability of the plastic to be pulled gently from the roll by the extruder. Sometimes the plastic can get stuck on the roll if the plastic going to the extruder gets stuck under another wrap on the roll. This is more likely to happen if the roll has accidentally unwound. Always keep the end of the plastic filament under tension when loading and unloading the printer. Also, you can use the roll securing holes to keep the plastic under tension when storing it.
Once the plastic roll is loaded into the printer the filament needs to be loaded into the extruder. The process for doing this varies by printer. The Replicator2 pre-heats the extruder head to 230 degrees C which is the recommended operating temperature. Once heated the filament is threaded through a hole at the top of the print head where it is engaged by a stepper motor which gently pulls the filament through the extruder. It is a good idea to run the extruder for a minute or two to ensure that the plastic is flowing freely. There should be no plastic collecting on the extruder; it should fall in a straight uniform line towards the bottom of the printer. This is illustrated below.
MakerBot Printer and position of printing filament when loaded 
Having completed the filament loading process the printer is now ready to print your model.


3D Printing Step 6: Print Model

With everything set-up the printing process is pretty straightforward. When printing there are a few things to keep in mind. Make sure that the printer is level and does rock back and forth with the print head movement. While PLA does not require a closed temperature environment or heated build plate (like ABS does) it is still important to maintain a consistent and warm room temperature. The reason for this is to maintain consistent cooling of the plastic. As previously mentioned the plastic shrinks when cooling which can lead to warping. A warm room temperature environment (70 degrees F) will be fine. Make sure to locate your printer far away from windows, doors and other sources of drafts that can cause excessive and variable cooling. The following image illustrates warping of one of the Tank Sprocket Drive Wheels.
Illustration of warping in a printed example
In spite of this warping we were still able to use this wheel on the robot. This was one of the first parts that we build for the Tank Robot. It was built before we incorporate many of the techniques mentioned here to improve part quality and minimize warping effects.

One other thing that can impact warping is the raft size. A large raft has a higher change of warping than smaller ones. A large Raft is unavoidable for a very large part. When placing the parts on the build plate using MakerBot Desktop, place multiple parts far enough apart to unsure that they have separate rafts.

Once the print job has started it is a good idea to monitor occasionally to ensure that the print is proceeding smoothly. If there is a problem with extruder clogging or the print falling apart the sooner any problem can be diagnosed the better.

The image below illustrates the first two layer of the Raft being formed. The extra thick layer that is visible makes it easier to separate the raft from the tape when the print is completed.
First two layers of raft being formed
After approximately 40 minutes (or 25% complete) the print looks like the following.
Example raft at 25% completion
At this point the raft and several layers of the parts have been completed. The support structures for the scaled inverted shaft piece are visible. You can also see the honeycomb infill pattern and shells being formed on the full-size shaft piece.

After about 75 minutes the print is 40% complete.
Example raft at 40% complete
The complete print is illustrated below.
Example raft at 100% complete



Breaking Boundaries while Giving Back

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In 2007, Joseph Ronan, then a high school student from the American School for the Deaf, made the decision to join a FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) team and take part in his first competition season. He wanted to challenge himself to do something different while having fun. Being deaf was no barrier for Joseph while on the team, nor when he made the transition from FTC participant to FIRST volunteer for Connecticut FIRST Tech Challenge.


Although nervous when he first started out, Ronan explained how exciting it was to come to an FTC competition as a volunteer. His former teacher encouraged him to join the volunteer community and starting in 2011, he joined as a Referee. His dedication to the program flourished, and soon he moved from the role of Referee to Head Referee in 2015.

Ronan did not expect “to become the first Deaf Head Referee in the FTC program.” He was shocked and excited to be called out at “the FTC event on February 7, 2015 at opening ceremony.” It is not just breaking boundaries and showing that being deaf is not a hindrance that kept Ronan coming back. It is also the respect and teamwork teams exhibit. He has fun with volunteers and teams, some of most "awesome people ever to work with!" He wants to share his experience and have more deaf schools join the program.


Joseph wants people to know that FTC “welcomes you as part of a family that you didn't know” you had. They show you “what you can do in that moment, and will help you to create a great experience for your future.”


Notes FIRST Senior Mentor Kathie Kentfield,  One might think that being deaf might make being a referee more difficult, but I think it allows him to focus on the action on the field without distraction.  I count Joey as one of my "favorite"FIRST alumni and look forward to working with him at events every year!

Read more about the American School for the Deaf's FTC team.

3D Printing for FIRST Teams (8 of 8)

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3D Printing for FIRST Teams


Authors: Kari Karwedsky, PTC, and Colm Prendergast, Mentor for FIRST Robotics CompetitionTeam 1965

3D Printing Work Flow

The 3D Printing Work Flow that we use is composed of 7 steps.  

Step 1: Design your part using PTC Creo.
Step 2: Export Model from PTC Creo in .stl format.
Step 3: Prepare Model and Generate g-code file (or equivalent) for the printer.
Step 4: Prepare and Level the 3D Printer Build Plate.
Step 5: Load printer filament.
Step 6: Print Model.
Step 7: Clean up printed model.

In this blog post, we will look more closely at Step 7.

3D Printing Step 7: Clean up printed model.

Once the print job has been completed the first thing to do is to unload the filament. This is generally good practice and cleans out the extruder to avoid blockages. We usually run the load procedure first to ensure that the extruder flow is still smooth and there have been no problems encountered during the build process. After this has been verified remove the filament by following the procedure for your specific printer. The MakerBot procedure reverses the direction of the extruder stepper motor to push the filament out of the top of the printer. Gently pull the filament and continue pulling until the last strands have come out. This ensures that as much plastic as possible has been removed from the extruder.

With the extruder cleared remove the build plate and inspect the parts for any quality issues or warping. You are now ready to remove the parts from the build plate and remove any supports. Removing the parts and cleanup will require using sharp tools and this can be quite dangerous. 

Always wear safety gloves when doing this. This is what happens when you don’t!!!!
What can happen if you don't wear safety gloves
In addition to safety gloves the following tools are useful for removing parts from the build plate and part cleanup:
  1. Craft Spatula: Lifting the Raft off the Blue Tape and separating the Part from the Raft.
  2. Paint Scraper: Lifting large rafts/parts off the Blue Tape.
  3. Xacto Knife: Removing Supports and Part Cleanup.
  4. Craft knife set: Removing Supports and Part Cleanup.
  5. Pliers/Wire cutters: Removing Supports and Part Cleanup.

These additional tools are illustrated below.
Tools for 3D printing cleanup
Start by using the Craft Spatula to lift up the edges of the rafts. This will most likely result in the Blue Tape getting ripped (which is fine).  Once all off the raft edges have been lifted if the rafts is still stuck you can use the larger Paint Scraper to level the raft and tape away from the plate. Do this carefully to avoid gauging or scraping the surface of the plate.
Using the Craft Spatula to remove a 3D printed part from the build plate
Once the parts have been taken off the plate the leftover tape can now be removed. Sometimes there will be residual tape adhesive left on the plate. This can be removed by using the sticky side of the tape to get it off. When the plate is cleaned of any tape or adhesive it is ready to use again. Keeping the plate clean will ensure that future prints are always made on a flat surface. 

The Craft Spatula can be used to separate the Parts from their Rafts. The thin flat edge of the spatula is ideal for this. This is a critical step. Sometimes areas of the part will not separate cleanly from the raft. This can be due to small unevenness in the raft structure causing the part to stick more forcefully in some areas and not others. 

Using the Craft Spatula to remove a 3D printed part from its raft
The most effective way to remove the raft is to try and remove it in one piece. Once the raft starts to break into pieces it is more difficult to manage. If you encounter resistance during this process it is a good idea to try and approach this area from a different direction. The scraping blade can also be used to separate difficult areas between the raft and part. Sometimes some force is needed so please wear gloves and be careful. 

3D printed parts and their respective rafts
Once the raft has been removed the supports can be tackled next. The Wire Cutters and Pliers can be used to cut away at the supports. You can use the Craft Knives and sharp blades to remove support material from the model surface being careful not to gauge the surface in the process. Since we are using a thick shell some amount of gauging can be tolerated without compromising the structural integrity of the part.  Depending on the amount of support material it can take a while to achieve good results. Removing supports can be one of the more difficult and time consuming cleanup tasks. Supports also have an adverse effect on the appearance of your final part. For these reasons it is always a good idea to design and place your parts to minimize the need for supports. Also, some printers support dual-extruders (e.g. MakerBot Replicator 2X). It is possible to take advantage of the second extruder to use a dissolvable filament for support structures. This can make this process much easier. Our team has never tried this.

The images below illustrate the supports being removed from the smaller pieces. As a reminder the full-size pieces were positioned on the build plate so as not to need supports.
Removal of supports from a 3D printed part
Once the rafts and supports have been removed the final tasks are any last surface cleanup and test fitting your parts. You can use the craft knives, blades and sandpaper to remove any surface imperfections. It is generally not a great idea  to use power tools for this (Dremel tool or sander) since in addition to scraping away any material the heat produced will also melt the plastic producing undesirable artifacts.

The image below illustrates the completed parts fitting together.
Completed 3D printed parts assembled together
The full-scale parts fit together as designed. A small amount of scraping at the bottom of the bore was necessary to achieve this. Sometimes the bottom of a model will sag a little as it is printed resulting in burs along the bottom edges that need to be removed. These are illustrated below.
Burs on a 3D printed model that may need to be removed
These burs can be removed by scraping the edges. The smaller scaled model parts did not fit very well since the scaling introduces errors in the sizing calculations. The scaled shaft was right are the minimum feature size limit recommended earlier (¼”) and was easily broken off. If feature sizes like this are needed the number of shells and infill percentages could be increased further to add more strength.

Finally, when you are finished cleaning up your parts you can add a protective coating to give a nice clean finish. XTC-3D® is an epoxy based protective coating for smoothing and finishing 3D printed parts. You can get some here (http://www.reynoldsam.com/product/xtc-3d/). This has been recommended to us but we have not tried to use it yet. Note that this will add more material to the surface of you part which may need to be considered when doing your design.

Happy 3D Printing & Good Luck with your FIRST Season!!!

Teams Mentoring Teams

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Your FIRST Tech Challenge team just finished their first season. What are you going to do now?

Why, share what you've learned by mentoring another team, of course!

Fruit Salad and Octopi.
That’s exactly what Team #6007 Octopi did. When FIRST Lego League team Fruit Salad transitioned up to FTC, Octopi was there to help. Likewise, Fruit Salad has been mentoring FLL team The Brick 6.

It’s not easy to learn all the pieces of being a FIRST team. Sharing knowledge and experience with another group is a valuable way to give back to the community, which is exactly what Octopi and now Fruit Salad are doing. In addition to knowledge, the three teams share work space and resources, too, of great benefit to all three teams. 

The Brick Six and Fruit Salad.
“The part of FTC that was the most daunting when we were rookies was the actual competition,” said Octopi. They were able to help Fruit Salad be prepared for competition, plus the teams cheer each other on. 

“Mentoring other FTC teams is definitely worth the effort. FIRST is a very valuable program that all students should have a chance to participate and succeed in and FTC teams with the knowledge and experience of FIRST are the ideal people to mentor newcomers," say the Octopi and Fruit Salad. 

"By mentoring or starting new teams, FTC teams make a positive difference in the league, the community, and the lives of the students who get the chance to achieve great things in FIRST.”

Now it is your team's turn to spread the word and share what you've learned. Why not start and/or mentor a team today?







FTC Tech Talk: Introduction

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FIRST Tech Challenge is thrilled to announce a brand new video blog series to help teams and our community transition to the new FTC Android-based technology platform, powered by Snapdragon processors. FTC Tech Talk will bring you along through the transition with us, explaining the benefits of the changes and providing updates in real time. Ken Johnson, Director of FTC will be hosting FTC Tech Talk, so tune in each week for new updates. If you have questions please feel free to post them in the FTC Technology Forum, but remember to read through previous posts before posting and always use Gracious Professionalism.

For more information:
Read the Official FIRST Press Release
Read the FTC Technology FAQs webpage


Enjoy FTC Tech Talk!    





             

Second Annual MiniBot Challenge

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So many FLL and FTC teams had a blast participating in last year’s MiniBot Challenge that we are doing it again!  Are you ready?


To play, you must design a MiniBot, measuring 12"x12"x12" or less, using only parts allowed in the 2014-15 FIRST®Tech Challenge Game Manual Part 1 or FIRST®LEGO® League allowed parts. The only exception to this rule is that the NXT does not have to be physically attached to your MiniBot (if it is, it must fit into the 12"x12"x12" space) and you may use an EV3 in place of the NXT brick.

What does the mini-bot do?  It can do anything you want it to, but the cooler, the better.  That's because you're going to upload a video of your robot in action to YouTube and share the link with us.  We'll watch it and if it meets the time criteria (see below), we'll add it to a YouTube playlist.  Then the community will vote on the coolest Bot, and at the end of the contest period the MiniBot with the most likes (1 pt) and comments (2 pts) will be declared the winner.

Check out the MiniBots from last year’s MiniBot YouTube Playlistand be sure you DO NOT copy any of those ideas or re-submit your robot from last year. All new ideas, please.

Now get building, FLL and FTC teams!

Build and Video Specifics:
This contest is open to both FTC and FLL Teams!
  • Create a mini-bot (12"x12"x12" or smaller; NXT does not need to be attached, but must fit inside the 12"x12"x12" dimension if it is) that can crawl, drive, walk, shoot, whatever you can imagine.  For allowed parts, follow the guidelines in the FTC Game Manual Part 1 or FLL allowed parts (the EV3 is permitted as a processor in place of the NXT).
  • Produce a 60-second (or less) video of your robot in action.  Please include your Program (FLL/FTC), Team number and/or name (we'll use the main contact we have on file for your team to contact you if you win).  Use a ruler at the beginning of the video to demonstrate your robot's dimensions
  • Upload your video to YouTube
  • Share the video link with us: social@usfirst.org.  We'll add it to a YouTube Playlist and share that link with the community
 Voting Specifics:
  • Get everyone you know to go to the playlist and vote for their favorite video by giving it a thumbs up or a comment.  Please be gracious professionals and don't give videos a thumbs down (we won't count these against anyone anyway).  Comments aimed at artificially inflating comment count (i.e. the same user posting repeatedly or spelling out words one letter per comment at a time) will not be counted (judges reserve the right to determine if this is the case).
 Deadlines:
  • Submission Deadline: April 15, 2015
  • Voting begins: April 17, 2015
  • Voting Deadline: May 6, 2015
 The winning team will of course receive bragging rights and recognition among the community, as well as a unique trophy. Thanks for participating and have fun!

    FTC Tech Talk: New Platform

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    Our next installment of FTC Tech Talk gives a more in-depth look at the technology transition. Ken Johnson discusses the hardware and electronics that can be carried forward with the new platform as well as the exciting transition to Java-based programming. Check out our video to see the configuration of the new platform.







    For more information:
    Learn about the FIRST Tech Challenge
    Read the Official FIRST Press Release
    Read the FTC Technology FAQs webpage 
    Check out the FTC Technology Forum

    FTC Tech Talk: Programming

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    Our next installment of FTC Tech Talk gives a more in-depth look at the three programming levels that will be available to FTC Teams. Ken Johnson describes the first level as an app that will be available to download on to your robot device and driver station device. The second level of programming that will be available is based on MIT App Inventor, which provides a scratch-like interface. The third level will be java programming.

    Check out our video to learn more about the programming options that will be available next season.










    For more information:
    Learn about the FIRST Tech Challenge
    Read the Official FIRST Press Release
    Read the FTC Technology FAQs webpage 
    Check out the FTC Technology Forum

    FTC Tech Talk: Team Reaction

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    Ken Johnson interviews FTC Team #4029 about the transition from the NXT system to the new Android-based platform. We're excited about the positive reviews! With some basic rewiring and a quick setup on your computer your robot can be transitioned to the new Android-based platform. Click below to see the student's interview at the Lexington Pilot event.


















    For more information:
    Learn about the FIRST Tech Challenge
    Read the Official FIRST Press Release
    Read the FTC Technology FAQs webpage 
    Check out the FTC Technology Forum

    5 FIRST Networking Tips

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    Hi! This is Michelle Long, Alumni and Scholarship ProgramsManager at FIRST HQ. Can you believe that the 2014/15 FIRST Tech ChallengeSeason is almost over already? I hope that your season was as fun as mine was and that you used the opportunity to meet as many people as you could at the event(s) that you attended.

    One of the most important things that you can gain from your time on a FIRST Team is the incredible exposure to Teams and Participants from all over – even if it’s the next town over! Whether you knew it or not, a lot of your interactions were networking! Networking is one of those business ‘buzzwords’ that people throw around a lot, and sounds really intimidating, but can be really natural and simple. To that effect, we’ve compiled the list below of networking tips that you can put into practice during FIRST events (links to original sources if you want to get an A+ and dig even deeper!):

    1.  Seek out people you wouldn’t have met under other circumstances: Is your Pit area next to a Team from another country? Even adults often think that certain people on the corporate ladder are untouchable — that they can't approach a C-suite executive or a potential contact in a new industry. They assume the new contact won't give them the time of day. While some won't, others will. You won't know until you approach them.
    2. Use your Adult Mentors as resources: They've got experience and are willing to share their expertise with you—and maybe even their contacts, too. Students tend to overlook their parents' friends when it comes to networking, but those parents are often well connected or know people who are… Jodi Glickman, communications expert and author of Great on the Job, says "You want to build up this stable of resources before you need them, so that when you actually are looking for a job, you can go in and tap in.
    3. Create a LinkedIn Profile: Too many students make the mistake of thinking they can avoid LinkedIn until after college, but the smart move is to use it now to track the network you're building. LinkedIn recently launched new options for students that make it easier than ever to get the hang of this network! FIRST has launched an Alumni Networking group on LinkedIn to help older Team Members and Alumni connect with one another – join us in the FIRST Alumni Network!
    4. Consider a “business” card:  This will make it easy for you to exchange contact information when you meet someone who can possibly assist with obtaining an internship or job. It’s also more professional than saying, “Facebook me” for contact information. Put your personalized LinkedIn URL on the card for a quick connection to your ‘professional’ details
    5. Take advantage of in-person opportunities: Are you attending the FIRST Championships and World Festival and FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship? Think of the thousands of people there that have similar interests and aspirations – you wouldn’t get this opportunity anywhere else! Not only other Team Members and Mentors, but Exhibitors within the Innovation Faire and College Admissions Professionals within Scholarship Row! Make sure to stop by the Innovation Faire and Alumni Alley to learn about the scholarship, internship, and career opportunities available to you as FIRST Participants and Alum and practice your networking skills. 
    Hope to see you at Worlds or events next season!

    FTC Tech Talk: Electronics Look I

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    Director of FTC, Ken Johnson discusses the components you'll need to transition from an existing FTC robot to the new platform. Check out this video to take a closer look at the new android device, power module, and legacy module. All of the necessary elements will be available for order from our new FTC storefront as soon as they're available. Click the photo below to see the video!









    For more information:
    Learn about the FIRST Tech Challenge
    Read the Official FIRST Press Release
    Read the FTC Technology FAQs webpage 
    Check out the FTC Technology Forum

    FTC Tech Talk: New Technology Overview & Demonstration

    The FTC Pits

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    When I was a kid, we lived on a road that led from the highway to the fairgrounds, so the last week in August we haunted the front porch waiting to see the onslaught of vendor and ride trucks hurry past. At the fairgrounds, we would stand out of the way and watch empty fields turn into a magical world of tents, booths, animal stalls, and of course, rides! Then for five days the field became its own world, bustling with lights, noise, and energy that we lived within during the day and could see and
    hear from our bedroom window each night.

    And then, on Tuesday morning, they were all gone, having packed up and crept away in the middle of the night to head off to other fairs and events. The absence of that temporary world was always palpable for a few days as we re-emerged from its magic into the real world and preparations for the first day of school.

    If you have ever attended a FIRST Tech Challenge event, then you have also experienced a magical world called the FTC Pits. Physically, it is a space crowded with tables, posters, kids, tools, and robots. Yet, as any performer can tell you, the energy the participants bring to the event is what determines the atmosphere, and the FTC Pits are always high-energy, friendly, fun, robotic communities. If you have ever been to a street fair or festival, then you know the energy, the smells, and the noise all combine to create an enchanted moment.

    If any one moment can encapsulate the FTC experience, then it is the Pits. Here you see Gracious Professionalism as teams share information, tools, and ideas. As they build friendships, make connections, and learn new concepts. Where teams celebrate their accomplishments with posters, mascots, Pit displays, cheers, and hugs. 

    Teams bring their culture, snacks, and music. They dress in all variety of outfits ranging from comfortable, to professional, to goofy. Shy kids get up and start impromptu dance parties. Outgoing kids dress as sharks and meet everyone at the event.

    Oftentimes, they work on robots. Frantically fixing a broken part, reworking the programming, improving the wiring, and visualizing their success on the field. Like busy bees, drive teams bustle to and from the practice fields, to and from the competition fields, to and from the team pit.

    People run around trying to find their judging room, bathrooms, watching matches, posing for pictures, eating food, and if anyone has a spare battery they can share.

    You see the most amazing Pit displays, but also lots of smiles, pins, buttons, tiaras, singing and dancing, and new friendships forming.

    At the end of the event, when the Pits come down, you see sadness and tears. Teams that did well on the field or won awards and teams that are feeling disappointed. Friendships that an hour earlier felt impenetrable even in their newness now feel vulnerable as teams say goodbye, exchanging cell phone numbers, email address, and twitter handles.

    At events, FTC comes to life for a handful of hours. An idea becomes reality, created by teams, volunteers, and sponsors. It is magic to be a part of, and the amazing energy it brings is inspiring. And then, poof, dreamlike, it is gone again. Until the next time.

    We hope to see you there!

    Team Recruitment: Who Are You Missing?

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    FIRST Tech Challengeteam recruitment season is upon us! For coaches and mentors looking to add to their team for the 2015-2016 season, we’ve got some tips.

    Before you start recruiting, it might be helpful to ask yourself a few questions:
    • How big is your team? How many additional team members do you need/want?
    • What skills do your current members possess? What skills will you want to recruit for?
    • How “old” is your team? How many members will be graduating/leaving in a year? How young do you want your new members to be?
    • How many kids do you want to inspire?

    Now pull up a mental picture of your team right now. Then subtract the members who have graduated or are leaving.

    Ask yourself this: Who are you missing?

    Are you missing an Einstein? He had Asperger’s Syndrome and had trouble concentrating in school, possibly due to dyslexia. What could he bring to the team?

    Are you missing a Curie? She was poor, self-educated, and near blind. What could she bring to the team?

    Are you missing a Lennon? He was an artist in his childhood and played in a band. What could he bring to your team?

    Are you missing a Ford? This guy was a great inventor, but he had dyslexia and struggled as a result. What could he bring to the team?

    Are you missing an Alvarez? She is a bilingual Dominican-American writer. What could she bring to your team?

    Are you missing a Carver? He was a black former slave, raised by a white couple, and educated in segregated, poor black schools. What could he bring to the team?

    Are you missing a Newton? He not only stuttered, but suffered from epilepsy. What could he bring to the team?

    Are you missing a Jemison? She’s a dancer, but loves science and dreams of going into space. What could she bring to the team?

    Are you missing a Hawking? He suffers from motor neuron disease and is in a motorized wheelchair and requires a computerized speech-synthesizer to communicate. What could he bring to the team?

    Are you missing a Lama? He spends time meditating and is an outspoken activist and leader. What could he bring to the team?

    Are you missing a Robinson?  He is a natural athlete following in his brothers' footsteps. What could he bring to the team?

    Are you missing an Edison? He couldn’t read until he was twelve and suffered from diabetes and deafness. What could he bring to the team?

    Perhaps it is not possible to have these folks on your team, but maybe the next great thinker, creator, engineer, scientist, athlete, inventor, humanitarian is waiting to join your team. So pull up that mental picture of your team again and think about the talented people your team might include.  Ask yourself a few more questions:
    • How will you find them?
    • How will you get them to join?
    • How will you get them to stay?
    • How will you inspire them? 
    • What will they bring to your team?
    • What will they bring to the world?
    Changing the focus of your recruitment and selection criteria to one that aims to include and embrace the next Einstein, or Jemison, or Robinson without focusing on the reasons why not to include them will ensure that you are missing no one.

    Truthfully, FTC is always recruiting. We’re looking for anyone who wants to get involved in celebrating science, technology, engineering, math, while using coopertition to compete. If you aren’t already a team member, coach or mentor, or volunteer, want to join?

    Summer Happenings and Game Hints!

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    The FIRST Tech Challenge annual Game Kickoff is Saturday, September 12th at 12 noon ET this year and we hope that you will be celebrating at a Kickoff event or party in your area (and if not, join one online - more info as we get closer to the date).

    In case you are a newcomer to FTC, welcome! Here's a little background information. Each year, FIRST Tech Challenge releases a new game that presents teams with fresh engineering and design challenges.  We keep the game secret until our Kickoff in September.  The Kickoff happens online, with the release of the game animation and season materials, and also at a growing number of live Kickoff events in your regions.

    We are really excited to reveal this year's game at Kickoff, which is three months away still, but a lot of other exciting stuff is happening between now and then:

    Intelitek has released the first New Technology Training Resource, with Part II coming out later this summer, and Part III coming out early fall.

    The new FTC Kit of Parts, including the new technology, will begin to ship in just a few weeks (register your team and order yours today!).

    Game Manual Part I comes out in early July. It will include the robot rules, tournament information, and awards descriptions. Be sure to read it cover to cover once it's out.

    And on that topic, the updated Mentor Manual and FTC PushBot Guide will be released (available on the Team Resources webpage), so you'll have lots of FTC-related summer reading to help you plan and prepare for an outstanding season.

    The second annual FTC Virtual Summer Conference Gear Up with FTC in the Classroom will be happening July 15 this year. Mark your calendar and watch for the release of presentations soon.

    And of course, over the next few months, we get to tantalize your curiosity and thirst for hints about this year's game.

    Beware the red herring!
    While we keep the game super secret until Kickoff, but we do like to have a little fun with it here on the blog and over on our social media accounts. You may have seen this alluded to when people ask whether a certain post or comment is a "game hint." From now until Kickoff, assume that each blog, tweetfacebook post contains a hint alluding to what the game is going to include for the 2015-2016 season.  As always, there might be a few red herrings to ramp up the fun.

    Game hints might be in the title, pictures, text or anything else that we can find to use.  If you have guesses or ideas, leave comments on each post.  It's a lot of fun to see all the different guesses, and by the time the final week before Kickoff rolls around, someone usually has a guess that is pretty close to the actual game. Not that we let them know.

    Good luck, have fun with this, and remember to keep guessing!

    Wait, was that a hint?

    Alumni! We want you!

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    Hi there!

    Michelle Long, FIRST HQ Alumni and Scholarships Programs Manager here again. And I have some questions for you:
    1. Are you a current or former FIRSTStudent?
    2. Have you joined the FIRST Alumni Network group on LinkedIn?
    3. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!?!!
    Join us and connect on a professional-level with other FIRST Alumni from around the world - we have raffles every few months, and group-member-only opportunities.

    To request membership, go to https://www.linkedin.com/…/FIRST-Alumni-Network-81984…/about , it's free and easy! All you need is a LinkedIn account (don't have one, see these handy quick-start tips) and then answer a few quick questions.

    https://www.linkedin.com/groups/FIRST-Alumni-Network-8198441/about
    Also, make sure to join us for an Alumni and Scholarships Programs Q&A on Twitter @ftcteams on Wednesday, July 1 at 12:30pm ET!
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