Transcript Slide 1

“Think” About It
Dan Kinzer
Raytheon Test Engineer
Mentor FTC Teams
506, 516, 3101
The Engineering Notebook
Workshop
This Will Be An Overview, The FIRST Manual is the Governing Document.
So What Isn’t New From FIRST
One of the goals of FIRST and FTC is to recognize the Engineering Design Process and “the
journey” that a team makes during the phases of the Problem Definition, Concept Design,
System-level Design, Detailed Design, Test and Verification, and Production.
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First, What is the Same
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Document Everything
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Calculations, Meeting Notes & Sketches
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Drawings & Design Changes At All Stages
Pictures
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Design
Team
Activities & Outreach
Could You Build Your Robot From Your Notebook???
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Team Strategy
Team Votes & Planning
Notes from Meets & Scouting Reports
Could Your Team Re-Build The Robot From 2 Years Ago???
No one expects that first design will come out perfect, it may not
work at all, and the note book needs to show how modifications were
made to work around problems.
So What Isn’t New From FIRST
Continued
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Formatting Is Important
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Start a New Page for Each Day With:
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Entries By ALL Team Members
Initialed & Dated
One Line Out Incorrect Data Do Not Erase
“X” Out Blank Spaces
Use Ink not Pencil
Task, What You are Doing
Reflections, What Happened
Your Notebook Must Have a Bill Of Material (BOM)
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Have a Second Copy Made for Robot Hardware Inspection
So What Is New From FIRST
Content from Section 4.0-4.6 & 7.3.6 of the Game Manual Part 1
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What Is Not The Same
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There Is No Distinction Made in Judging Between Hand Written
and Electronic Engineering Notebooks
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Electronic Notebooks Must Be Printed Out and Place in a Binder 1.5” or
Smaller
Hand Written Will be in Spiral-Bound, Lab-Bound or Documentation
Notebooks
The Criteria
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Your Team Number & Name Must be Clearly Printed One the Cover
Number Pages are Required, Pages Cannot Be Deleted
Only One Engineering Notebook is Required Per Team
Multiple Teams May not Share a Notebook.
So What Is New From FIRST
Content from Section 4.0-4.6 & 7.3.6 of the Game Manual Part 1
Continued
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Format Changes
 Use Both Sides Of The Page
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Summary Page Attached to Front Cover of Notebook
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If you can not Print Double Sided Make Sure to “X” Out the Blank Back Side
Pages
With Tab References
Must Have An Engineering Section
Must Have 6-8 Tab Flags of the Engineering Section Referenced on
the Summary
Drawing in the Engineering Section Must Be in Chronological Order.
Credit Sources
Team & Outreach Sections
Business Plan For Team Sustainability, Not a Requirement
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Funding & Sponsors
Team Expenses
So What Is New From Florida FIRST
Judging Changes for Florida’s Leagues
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Engineering Notebook Judging At Meets
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The Think Award Is Going To Be Awarded At All Florida Events
45% Of The Judged Think Award Score Comes From The Engineering
Section of the Notebook
This Is Going To Replace The Engineering Interview Only at Meets
The League Championship Judging Scores
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Full Judging Interviews
Engineering Notebook Evaluation
25% The Teams State Ranking
New Awards For Florida FIRST
Judging Changes for Florida’s Leagues
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The Control Award
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The League(optional) & State Championship Judging
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To Be Awarded To Teams at the League & State Championships
Engineering Notebook must detail the Robots Control Components
This is 20% of Control Award score
Compass Award
Promote Award
League and State Championship Judging & Ranking will be
covered in more detail in the "Awards and How to Win them"
Presentation.
Judges Tips
Be Prepared
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The Engineering Notebook is a Working Document
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Above All This Is A Technical Document It Needs to Be Complete
It Needs To Be Organized
Make Sure It Follows The Format
Show the Engineering Process
Drawings & Pictures With Text
Break Up Long Text
If Hand Written Print Clearly
Add Robot Specific Forum Questions
Consistently Missing
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Drawings of Sub Assemblies.
Any Dimensioned Drawings
Programming Section
Bills Of Material
Schedules or Build Plans
Fundraising & Outreach Activities
Judges Tips
Be Prepared
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The Engineering Notebook is a Working Document Above All This Is
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Consistently Missing Drawings of Sub Assemblies. Any Dimensioned
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Team Business Plan
A Technical Document It Needs to Be Complete, It Needs To Be
Organized, Make Sure It Follows The Format, Show the Engineering
Process, Drawings & Pictures With Text, Break Up Long Text, If Hand
Written Print Clearly, Add Robot Specific Forum Questions
Drawings, Bills Of Material, Programming Section, Schedules or Build Plan.
Fundraising & Outreach Activities
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Team Expenses
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Travel Costs
Equipment Cost
Costed BOM
Fund Raisers
Sponsors
Judges Tips
Be Prepared Continued
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Hand Written Note Books
These are often unorganized, Drawings are Just a Couple Of Sketches, with no real detail.
They are generally more complete than the Electronic Versions. It is just easier to draw a
sketch in them or to Write in what is happening Right Now. They have lots of character if
done well.
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Watch Out For Blocks Of Un-Readable Text
 PRINT Large
 Break Up Text
 Try Different Colors Of Pens For Some Functions
 Use Highlighters
Drawings That Are Not Documented
 Put Captions On Drawings & Pictures
 No Dimensions on Drawings
 Attach Pictures Securely
Judges Tips
Be Prepared Continued
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Electronic Note Books
These tend to be less complete, missing the hand sketches, Brainstorming Session
Notes. Anything that is done on the spot by a small group. Often have more CAD
Drawings, but Need More Content
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Scan Every Hand Sketch & Note and Document Them
Collect Input From Everyone During Meetings
It Takes Time to Enter Everything, Go Back to Scan Comment
Don’t Cut and Paste Articles Just As Filler, Just Use the Needed
Content, (eg. An article about servo’s from a magazine.)
Adding Character is fine but, this is NOT A Scrap Book,
It Is A Technical Document
Use Tab Markers
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Required for the Engineering Section
A Really Good Idea For The Rest of the Note Book
Judges Tips
Be Prepared Continued
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Any Questions?????????