My team has just moved up to actual vex , what do i need, and what tips can you give me for building.
Remember to always brace stuff and triangles are your friends.
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Thanks!
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If want to research more about different robot sub-systems, you should look through the Forum Wiki, there’s a bunch of info there.
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Just copy china.
But on a more serious note, remember to brace everything because defence is really tough. Your robot shouldn’t break in a normal amount of defence but sometime the oposing alliance can get aggresive
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Lets not forget bearing flats
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The VEX Knowledge base should be your first stop: VEX Knowledge Base
There are great community resources but this help index is direct from VEX staff.
It has a ton of helpful guides for each part of your robot and explains a lot of building techniques and decisions. Specifically the mechanical category under V5 will probably have everything you are looking for.
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Yes, check the wiki and other web pages as others have said.
It may be late in your area, but if you can get to a competition or two somehow, just walking though the pits and watching the competition can be very helpful. Watch what seems to work and what doesn’t. Talk to the team members. Most are willing to share their knowledge and what they spent long hours on with others.
Youtube can be your friend as well. search for and watch reveal videos, and Ri3D (robot in 3 days) videos. Many will discuss what they are doing and why they are doing it.
As others say… make it stronger than you think you need to. It will take a beating over the season. We go to only 5 or 6 competitions and the bot looks real rough by the end of the season.
Aluminum is your friend. Bearing flats are your friends. Nylock screws are your friend. High strength gears are your friend.
Make sure you plan for sensors in your design. don’t add them after the fact.
When looking at the game, consider size of the robot, manuverability, speed and such. Look at all the methods of scoring and how they get you points. Often some items are worth more than others. And plan for an autonomous. Most seasons, winning auton can be the difference between winning and losing a match. Not to mention having a good record in auton wins is a great sales pitch for your team during alliance selection.
Make many small prototypes and try things with simple programs before making a whole robot and trying to do everything.
Get a group together and start earlier than you think you need to. Don’t wait till September or October. Start in May or June with the prototypes and tests. Based on the game reveal at Worlds , you can maybe find similar parts on amazon - balls, cubes, etc. Make mockups of field elements out of cardboard, PVC pipe or whatever and play with ideas.
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I looked up and you are from Indiana? Looks like your state championship is this weekend (same as ours in MI). Is it possible to get a crew together and go be a spectator for the day at Lucas? No better chance to learn what the competition is like than seeing the best 74 teams in your state what they built and how they did what they did? Ask questions. Look at the robots. Take pictures. Take videos. Watch the skills matches. Maybe buy a pizza for lunch for one of the smaller teams and ask to sit with them at lunch and pick their brains. You’ll have a great time, learn a ton and be ready for next year.
Oh, and for next year. Get your team together for Pizza or whatever you like for food and have a game reveal party when the reveal is streamed from Worlds on April 25th. It will be your first team meeting for the year. After the game is shown, download the game manuals and field diagrams, and start brainstorming! Its a great way to kick off the season, and actually… its how many teams start the competition season.
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we are waiting for next year, we have just ended middle school IQ and me and my team are entering high school. We might be able to go to states, if not we can always go to worlds to view designs. (as I’m in southern Indiana.)
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Research is very important, because it is always good to have a plan before you build. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t perform the way you expected the first time. In EDR the robots are much bigger and use metal. It is always good to learn how to use a hacksaw or dremel. When building in EDR gear ratios are very important. As building goes you should look at the Wiki that was linked earlier in this thread, and using youtube videos as a starter or reference is also good. Always read the game manual so you won’t get dq’d at a competition. Coding is also important, you can use the block program or text. Unlike IQ EDR is not a teamwork challenge, meaning you compete in an alliance and you try to score higher than the opposing alliance on the same field, this allows for some defense to be played. You will learn some tips and tricks as you go on. Good Luck!
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I help work in my grandparents garage so I know how to use most tools. I am extremely ready to make a offensive defense bot or maybe even a wallbot.
It just depends on the game
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