Instead of a journal entry here's our to do list for the final meeting
-replace twine and even it out
-garbage bag
-add wire to keep stable
-support wires?
HMS beagle
-sew velcro again
-find a better way to hold the wheels and motor
-replace tape
-batteries
Journal-
-fix blog
-components list
-final device page
-bios
-prototypes
-FAQs
Team Bio
-find it
-fill it out
-advisor bio
Costumes
-spray paint t-shirt
Poster
-get board
-red?
Friday, April 27, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Anisha and Mo April 25th
At The Tech Shop
We made it to the Tech Shop tonight and things went fairly well. Some minor modifications were made. We replaced the trashbag becasue it got really beat up. We replaced the strings that attached the parachute to the device. It was decided to sew down a side of the velcro that was coming loose. On the underside of the device we decided to try and tape down the wires that were the primary defense against the wheels popping off. In doing so, we created a skid plate because we were afraid that the wires might stick out too much and catch on the bottom of the ramp and drag on the carpet, hindering and handicapping the process. The vehicle actually did not run at the first trial last weekend because the motor came out of the vehicle. That has been fixed. Right now the issue is getting the journals done.
We made it to the Tech Shop tonight and things went fairly well. Some minor modifications were made. We replaced the trashbag becasue it got really beat up. We replaced the strings that attached the parachute to the device. It was decided to sew down a side of the velcro that was coming loose. On the underside of the device we decided to try and tape down the wires that were the primary defense against the wheels popping off. In doing so, we created a skid plate because we were afraid that the wires might stick out too much and catch on the bottom of the ramp and drag on the carpet, hindering and handicapping the process. The vehicle actually did not run at the first trial last weekend because the motor came out of the vehicle. That has been fixed. Right now the issue is getting the journals done.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Trial April 21st
Mo and Anisha Get Some More Quality Time ;)jk
We went to the trial and we tested our device for the final time before the Tech Challenge. Unfortunately as the device struck the carpeted padding at the bottom of the crater the wheels popped out of the sockets. We did not realize this until Anisha tried to drive the device aka clifford out of the box. When Anisha appeared to struggle it was assumed it was because of her general lack of competence in all things outside the realm of finger painting. We were surprised to find we were wrong. It turned out to be a mechanical failure. Unbeknownst to us at the time when we had removed the top part of the front loader, we had taken out the plastic supports that held the axle of the wheels into place on the frame. ya dig? When we removed the constraint the axel and therefore the wheels were literally unattached to the frame. The motor was attached to the wheels but the motor was attached in only a minor way to the frame. This meant that when drove out of the box the motor shifted out of position and got caught on the top of the frame. We knew we would be in for a late night at the next meeting fixing the problems. However, we were grateful that it happened now and not on the day of the Challenge itself.
We went to the trial and we tested our device for the final time before the Tech Challenge. Unfortunately as the device struck the carpeted padding at the bottom of the crater the wheels popped out of the sockets. We did not realize this until Anisha tried to drive the device aka clifford out of the box. When Anisha appeared to struggle it was assumed it was because of her general lack of competence in all things outside the realm of finger painting. We were surprised to find we were wrong. It turned out to be a mechanical failure. Unbeknownst to us at the time when we had removed the top part of the front loader, we had taken out the plastic supports that held the axle of the wheels into place on the frame. ya dig? When we removed the constraint the axel and therefore the wheels were literally unattached to the frame. The motor was attached to the wheels but the motor was attached in only a minor way to the frame. This meant that when drove out of the box the motor shifted out of position and got caught on the top of the frame. We knew we would be in for a late night at the next meeting fixing the problems. However, we were grateful that it happened now and not on the day of the Challenge itself.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Meeting April 20th
Yikes! The Tech Challenge is only a week way!!
Threat Level: Blellow (blue+yellow)
Morale: Patriotic
Rations: food for thought only
Final touches sort of... We adjusted the length of the strings and support frame because the judges noticed that our device was too big and didn't meet the drop height requirements. We discussed some of the non-device things we would have to get together over the next week like the poster and journal. It was a pretty low key meeting imho
Threat Level: Blellow (blue+yellow)
Morale: Patriotic
Rations: food for thought only
Final touches sort of... We adjusted the length of the strings and support frame because the judges noticed that our device was too big and didn't meet the drop height requirements. We discussed some of the non-device things we would have to get together over the next week like the poster and journal. It was a pretty low key meeting imho
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Trial April 14th
Trial #3 o.O
Threat level: Jack Bauer
Morale: Rising
Rations: Waffle Fries
The third trial was a momentous one for us because we finally dropped our actual device from the top. It was a testament to the confidence we had in our frame and parachute. The trust may have been a little misplaced. Although the device didn't break into a million little pieces on impact, it did get stuck under the deflated parachute after it landed and wasn't able to free itself without intervention on the part of Cassie, the driver. After manually pulling the device out from underneath the trashbag shroud in which it was enveloped, the device, recently
christened The Beagle, had no problem making it to the top of the simulated Mars crater.
Success!
Threat level: Jack Bauer
Morale: Rising
Rations: Waffle Fries
The third trial was a momentous one for us because we finally dropped our actual device from the top. It was a testament to the confidence we had in our frame and parachute. The trust may have been a little misplaced. Although the device didn't break into a million little pieces on impact, it did get stuck under the deflated parachute after it landed and wasn't able to free itself without intervention on the part of Cassie, the driver. After manually pulling the device out from underneath the trashbag shroud in which it was enveloped, the device, recently
christened The Beagle, had no problem making it to the top of the simulated Mars crater.
Success!
Friday, April 13, 2007
Meeting April 13th
Operation Beagle Freedom
threat level: vermillion
morale: sky-high
rations: obscene
This evening we worked on improving our preexisting design by adding supports to the dropping frame made out of old coat hangers. We also added a sort of "roof" to the frame so that when the parachute fell around it the device wouldn't be trapped inside.
That is all.
threat level: vermillion
morale: sky-high
rations: obscene
This evening we worked on improving our preexisting design by adding supports to the dropping frame made out of old coat hangers. We also added a sort of "roof" to the frame so that when the parachute fell around it the device wouldn't be trapped inside.
That is all.
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