From what I’ve seen, CAD models, drawings, and photos are all valuable elements in a notebook. However, in what scenarios would one element be better than the other (of course, considering that they are all incorporated into the notebook)?
For example, would drawings be better in early season? And CAD models later on especially when teams start to begin building? Or does it not matter? After all, they both illustrate a team’s ideas, although a CAD model does show a more developed idea rather than early thoughts… Which makes me think that drawings are better for step 1, photos for 2, and CAD models for 4?
Plus, what about when reviewing different subsystems? In game overviews like 515R’s notebook, simple drawings are used to illustrate different object manipulators. And, would it be okay to mix and match all types of media? Like, CAD models for the chassis types, and drawings for object manipulators?
Lastly, which type of media should be seen the most in a notebook? What do judges most prefer? Or is it okay no matter what, as long as we incorporate them?
Hey! Me again, lol.
CAD, photos, and sketches are all great and your notebook should have a healthy amount of them.
I would actually say “Drawing → CAD → Photos”. But, please go with what makes most sense to you. Remember that it’s your team’s notebook and you should be able to document the notebook in a way that is natural.
While all 3 should be utilized, CAD drawings, especially in IQ, is very impressive. It can document designs very well. Additionally, if you create a drawing of the CAD and make several measurements of it, you (and the judges) can get a good understanding of the design’s actual size and how it might fit on a robot. Here’s an example of a drawing of a V5 11w smart motor.
Now, I’m actually new to the idea of actually measuring CAD drawings, so I’m still learning all the do’s and don’ts of it. But maybe what this example will help. And it is V5, but it can easily be applied to IQ.
Anyway, cheers!
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To quote the Guide to Judging,
Different teams may submit notebooks with varying levels of sophistication and beautification. For example, some teams may have brief sketches in pen, others may have colorized illustrations or CAD/electronic drawings. Judges should be cognizant of evaluating the content of notebooks, not the level of beautification. It is possible for many different types of notebook and different communication styles to present relevant content explaining the design process.
Always make sure to reference the Guide to Judging (that link might not work soon since there will be an updated version of the GtJ posted soon).
Adding on to the GtJ and what both you and @PowerSupply-72837A said, you could use different mediums for different sections of your engineering design process. For example, you could have hand drawn diagrams to show the possible solutions you came up with in your brainstorming, and later do CAD for the “Plan” part of “Select Best Solution and Plan” part of the rubric. I would just ensure that you are consistent about the medium and style of what you use in each section to enhance your notebook’s readability.
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