WI Robotics Mechanical Arm
Problem statement
The University Rover Challenge (URC) is an unforgiving competition. Out of over a hundred teams, there is only one winner. Wisconsin Robotics competes in URC against other universities to score points for various missions that simulate the challenges Mars rovers face. Two of the missions rely on the arm for efficient execution, and in URC, where every movement counts, issues with the rover’s most vital mechanical component could mean mission failure. For our student org, our qualification and efforts for the competition mean everything to our members and seniors who devote countless hours towards improving our rover. Whether people are in the club for professional development and/or motivated by passion, a successful rover provides morale and meaningful experience for our club’s future and progression. Our previous rover arm passed minimum qualifications, but faces many areas for improvement. The electrical subteam faces issues with wiring, the motors currently used are too strong, and the arm’s function has too much backlash when operating, which can be cumbersome to control. This year, we intend to dedicate our efforts to our client to create a robust design that can function practically and execute its tasks flawlessly for the competition’s missions.
Team members
Chase Edwardson – admin
Ethan Mak – facilitator
Muaz Salem – communicator
Ryan Lin – accountant
Client
Katie Perkins
Wisconsin Robotics