We've been busy machining and finalizing our CAD model over the past week. Our three parts for MS7 today are pictured below. The first part is a specialized axle block for the front and back axles of our machine. It uses two 1/4"-20 bolts to secure it to the baseplate, and has two drilled and precision reamed horizontal holes where we will be press fitting bushings for the axle to rotate in. The large vertical center hole will allow us to mount a strip of aluminum for the control box to sit on.

The second is the first iteration of our MCM base. The aluminum ended up cracking in multiple places when constructing this-- we may end up having to rethink how we are constructing this piece.

The final piece is the standard support block we have integrated into multiple places in our design. We will eventually have 12 of these support blocks, and they will hold up the arm-towers and the walls for the ball hopper. An incredibly simple part, but also very important and integral to our design.

The bearing block we machined for our back wheels, it will hold a 1/4" axle.

Our Most Critical Module taking shape, this will attach to our swing-arm.

Standard support block for our machine, we will use about 12 of these.

After a full week of planning and preparatory machining, we are definitely on the right track. We have some support structures completed, and our plans are coming together nicely!

Here is our schedule.

Our strategy revolves around picking up the sand-filled squash balls from on top of the wave field. Our robot design consists of a revolving arm that will slide over the squash balls, then lift up, allowing gravity to roll the squash balls down the length of our arm and into a hopper in the base of our robot. Here is a succinct description of our strategy:


1. Drive the car straight towards wave field
2. Lift arm and retrieve one sand-fi lled squash ball
3. Drive straight back until in front of tower
4. Drive around tower and line up straight with wave field again
5. Lift arm and retrieve one sand-fi lled squash ball
6. Drive straight back
7. Turn and drive over hole to score balls in hopper