Pneumatics
What is a piston?
Component that moves using air.
What tool would you use to join two pieces together?
Crimper
What sensor has two configurations: always on, always off?
Limit switches!
What's the brain of a robot?
roboRIO
What color is the CAN wires?
Yellow & Green
What does the compressor do?
Stores air.
Name two mechanical tools.
Hex Key, Wrench, Phillips Head
How does a potentiometer vary its current?
Uses a wiper to vary the resistance
What connects the radio to the RIO?
Ethernet Cable
What does our department do during competitions to see other team's systems and design?
Scouting!
What is the working and stored pressure of the pneumatics system?
60 psi working and 120 psi stored
What connectors do you use for PDP and speed controllers?
Andersons
What does LiDAR stand for, and how does it work?
A LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) sensor emits pulsed light waves into the surrounding environment.
How does the PCM and roboRIO communicate?
CAN
What are some traits of a bad control system? List two characteristics.
- Messy, unorganized wiring
- Dangerous wire placement (near moving parts/exposed)
- Unsecure components
- Non-efficient component placement
What is the difference between a single and double solenoid?
A double solenoid can control both the intake and the outtake of the air, while a single solenoid can only release air to one side of the piston, the intake OR outtake.
What is our safety rule motto?
Think before you act!
How do ultrasonic sensors measure the distance between the sensor and the object?
It calculates distance by comparing the time between emission of the sound and the reception of the sound.
List four types of ports that exist on the RIO.
PWM, CAN, USB-B, DIO, Analog in, RLS
What is the name of the speed controllers that we used on the 2019 robot?
SparkMax Speed Controllers
Name the entire pneumatics control system from start to finish. The start shall be where the air is gathered and the end will be where the air is put into motion.
Starts at the compressor, then to the air tank, then to the pressure switch, pressure gauge, and pressure vent plug. Then you have the pressure regulators and solenoids, followed by the pistons at the end of the pneumatics system.
List three electronics safety rules.
- Keep liquids or food away from any electronic devices
- Wear shoes with rubber soles
- Never work alone when working with electricity
- Check conditions prior to interaction
- Work with just one hand when possible, keep the second hand away from anything that conducts electricity
- Always put your own and others’ safety first during meetings, when working on the robot, and during competitions
- Mills High School Code of Conduct and safety rules apply to all students in the Makerspace (and virtually)
How do optical and magnetic encoders differ in terms of the their cons?
Magnetic encoders are disrupted by other magnetic field, while optical are easily disturbed by smoke, bright environments, and other debris.
Where does the CAN Bus start and end?
RIO -> Speed Controller -> PCM -> PDP
What is the difference between CAN and PWM?
CAN: Controller Area Network is a community of speed controllers where components “talk” to each other in a group conference.
PWM: Pulse Width Modulation are speed controllers connected to roboRIO in a top down system where a component “talks” through the RIO like they are on a one on one phone call.