ENTRY
08

September 28, 2026

Chassis Resize, Intake Ramp & Controls Planning
Duration 2.5 hours Attendees Josh, Torin, Sarah

Meeting Summary

We took the robot apart again to make it narrower and prepare it for the outside framework and wheel guards. Josh redesigned the intake ramp, and we printed it during the meeting to check the fit. We brainstormed how the side augers and intake would work, mapped out driver controls, kept working on the reversed turning in our code, and started setting up the Expansion Hub and intake motor. We also received our first donation.

Before This Meeting: Parts Ordered

  • Ordered the game balls
  • Ordered AprilTags

Build: Chassis Changes

  • Took the robot apart again and made it narrower
  • Added braces that stick up past the wheels, giving us a place to attach our outside framework
  • Brought the wheelbase in on one side so we can add guards beside the wheels without getting too close to (or going over) the size limit
Top view of the narrower chassis with mecanum wheels, drive motors, braces, and the Control Hub
The narrower chassis with the added braces

Build: Intake Ramp

  • Our first ramp idea was too wide, and the first ramp we made was not the right angle
  • Josh redesigned the ramp
  • We 3D printed the new design during the meeting. We stopped the print partway through because we were short on time, and it didn't need to be complete for us to size it up.
  • The ramp still needs to be resized
First intake ramp prototype, printed in two pieces, one blue and one red
First ramp prototype
Second version of the intake ramp, printed in solid blue, leaning against the front of the robot
Second ramp version

Intake & Shooter Brainstorming

  • Brainstormed how the augers on the sides will help feed balls into the intake
  • Worked out how the main intake mechanism will work
  • Discussed the shooter a bit more
Two 3D-printed auger (screw) prototypes, one blue and one red
3D-printed auger prototypes for the side feeders

Driver Controls

We decided which gamepad buttons will control:

  • Turret (manual backup): we plan to automate the turret, but manual control will be available as a backup
  • Intake
  • Ejection

Code & Electronics

  • Worked on fixing the reversed turning. Our "fix" made everything backwards instead, so this still needs to be solved.
  • Started setting up the Expansion Hub and the intake motor. It isn't fully working yet, so we're still troubleshooting.

Fundraising & Outreach

  • Cascade Community Credit Union donated $200 to our team!
  • We plan to ask their permission to put their logo on our team shirts and website as a thank-you
  • Discussed holding an all-day robotics day, possibly on a Saturday. We need to talk it over more.

Homework / Action Items

  • Josh: resize and fix the ramp, then email the redesigned file to Sarah
  • Sarah: print the redesigned ramp; work on fixing the turning in the code; finish setting up the Expansion Hub; print the flower
  • Torin: find the CAD files for the game's flower and send them to Sarah to print
  • Someone: contact Cascade Community Credit Union to ask permission to use their logo on our shirts and website

This notebook was created with the assistance of Claude AI and Handy dictation software.