Pascack Pi-oneers [Team 1676]

Pi-Tech Academy was a new addition to the Pascack Pi-oneers for the 2005-2006 season. Before the 2010 build season began, we trained 29 rookies. This experience allows veterans, teachers, and mentors to train students in the ways of engineering, electronics, programming, pneumatics, animation, and drive systems in separate seminars during the weeks leading up to kickoff. This is useful because the initial training of new members is able to occur before this season started, leaving us ready to begin straight away. All members who attended, as well as our team, benefited greatly from this pre-season preparation. Although Pi-Tech Academy occurs before  build season, we are still learning new things everyday as we work to complete the task at hand.

FTC:
For the 2006-2007 season there was an addition to Pi-Tech Academy, the new FTC Team 1676. The FTC team is made up of freshmen and sophomores only. The sophomores taught the rookie freshmen the skills they would need to make an effective FTC robot, and the skills they would need to contribute when it comes time for the FRC build season.
Mechanical:
During Pi-Tech academy, the future group of mechanical students are introduced to different mechanical systems. Each of these systems trains them in a different skill of mechanical engineering. Using LEGO and LEGO mechanical kits, the students created their own working mechanical system. This system was capable of performing a certain task, whether it be simple gear ratios to more complex systems where objects would change under stress and change situations.

Electrical:
This program teaches new electricians the basics. The members learn about how resistance is affected by bends and poor crimps. They are taught how to insulate wires, crimps and solders using both heat shrink tubing and electrical tape. This session is taught by a Mercedes-Benz mentor along with last year’s returning veterans. We also use the previous year’s robot to show examples of good and bad electrical setups.

Pneumatics:
The pneumatics academy was led by a teacher who divided the subject into two sessions. During the first session, he taught the basics of pneumatic systems and using them mechanically. In the second session, we advanced to using pneumatics with electrical systems. We taught how electronics can be used to control these systems. We now have a number of students who are proficient with pneumatics and ready to graciously aid any team with trouble in this field.

Programming:
Since last year, we learned many things about the programming of a robot. We now understand how to use our programming team more efficiently. During the Pi – Tech Academy one of our programming mentors teach the students some basic programming. They also teach ways to incorporate the code into the robot and make it drive smoothly.

Integration & Testing:
During the Integration & Testing Academy, we received an excellent presentation on Testing Methodologies of a business. Mr. McCoy, a professional Integration & Tester, presented information to the students. He explained the best way for businesses to test systems and integrate those systems. He presented the students with a PowerPoint presentation to explain how he does his job. It also showed how testing and integration is very important within a business, or in this case, a team. His presentation is available [here] on our website for all teams to see and review.

Autodesk(R) Inventor, CAD, 3D Studio Max:
In 2006, the Pascack Pi-oneers decided they would continue to get involved in the both the Inventor and 3Ds Max Awards. During the Pi-Tech Academy, students who knew how to use the software teach the other students the basics. Knowing that an Inventor submission was necessary for this year, the students were first taught about the basics of AutoCad. By being taught the basics of AutoCad, the students were familiarized with Autodesk’s software. The students were taught how to make 2D drawings, as well as how to make preliminary 3D drawings. After the basics of AutoCAD were covered, the students moved on to Inventor. Using a projector, veterans were able to teach while the students followed along on classroom desktops. In Inventor, we taught them how to make, extrude, and mate objects together, giving them the building blocks to create a good submission for this year. When the students knew the basics of both Inventor and AutoCAD, they moved onto 3Ds Max. Even though 3Ds Max is an extremely powerful program with many different tools in it, the Pi-oneers were able to teach the students how to make a good submission. They are taught how to create a moving scene as well as render it into a movie format, and also basic materials and skinning in the program. After the academy is over, the students may not have had all the knowledge about these programs, but they do know basic operations with the software and are able to make some excellent renderings. Over the period of just a few years, we have developed our CAD and Animation teams, and their skills have grown with experience.