When it comes to building, there are some practices that are good to get in the habit of doing when working on your first robot. These concepts come into play in all areas of the robot, regardless of what type, style or game is in question. Not only do these practices apply to VEX Robotics, but they can also be transferred in numerous other areas of engineering and design. This translation of building practices is a great reason why VEX is a superb entryway to the engineering workforce.
No Metal on Metal - When building a robot, the majority of the entity consists of some time of metal, whether it be aluminum or galvanized steel. Because of this, it is easy to lose sight of the idea that a moving piece of metal should never make direct contact with another. Examples of this are moving screws on lifts as well as rotating shafts. To avoid issues on your robot, add bearings on locations that have a shaft, and add a small plastic washer under the moving screw.
Build smart, not hard - Many times, it can seem appealing to work extremely hard on the build, and figure out the details and specifics later. This, however, is one of the biggest mistakes that developing teams make, and it causes many unforeseen consequences. This entire concept is summed up in the saying, “measure twice, cut once”. Plan out your entire build before hand, and how you will attach each component. Not only will this significantly decrease overall build time, but it will also decrease the number of issues that arise after the initial build.
Avoid “Band-Aid” Solutions - Despite planning out beforehand, some issues might still slip through the cracks. The worst mistake to make is covering up these issues with simple solutions that do not solve the core issue. For example, if a shaft is abrupting the bot’s lift from raising, the solution might not be to cut the shaft off. Instead, it would be wisest to discover where the shaft is making contact, and if the lift is not intended to move in the way that it is, solve the issue with the lift, rather than the one shaft.
All of these mistakes are made by both developing and veteran teams alike. However, avoiding them will ensure that your teams wastes as least unnecessary time as possible, and can better spend that time on driving practice, autonomous runs, and the like. Avoiding simple mistakes like these will traject your team in the right direction when it comes to competing.
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