Vocational Collaboration

    Drafting is where our robot is born. It's where the design is thought of, and where the robot is pieced together. From the CAD (computer aided design) drawings, blueprints are made and passed off to Manufacturing Technologies, where the parts are made. Drafting also takes care of all of the planning and paperwork, and just about anything else that pops up. The upperclassmen tend to end up on the pit crew, because they know just about everything about every mechanical aspect of the robot.

    Manufacturing Technologies contributes about 95% of the custom parts that are found on our robots. We're lucky to be the best-equipped vocational school in the state, as far as CNC machines go, with a HAAS mill and lathe, Hurco mill, ProtoTRAK lathe, and two MillPWR conversation mills. Typically, all parts are machined, but they also have many skilled welders if needed. The upper classmen in MT tend to end up on the pit crew as well, because they know how everything goes together, how to replace parts fast, and how to make new ones in a crunch.

    Electronics students are involved from start to finish in the process of building the robot. They not only take the responsibility for making sure the robot is wired to spec, and that the electronics are reliable, but they're always there to help design the robot. If something's mechanically unfeasible, they can make it happen with electronics. Electronics is another shop to frequently end up on the pit crew, due to their indispensable knowledge with the vital components of the robot.

    Information Technology is another of the main shops involved, especially now with the new control system. Networking is their newest contribution; however, they do a lot more. Programming, video production, providing our Ethernet cables, and sometimes even piloting the robot. They've streamed video from our pit area on a few occasions. Their networking helps the other shops collaborate through the computers via blueprint sharing and software.