PTC Pointers, a FIRST Robotics Newsletter "Using Creo for Detailed Design"; 30 November 2016

[BethAmbaruch]

The 2016/2017 FIRST season represents our 10^th year of donating PTC software and services to all FIRST teams, along with easy-to-use training curriculum, team funding grants, and hundreds of PTC volunteers to staff and support regional events around the globe.

We’re here to help you. Help you learn about PTC software and technology, help you gain an understanding of the season’s game, help you innovate, and help you help each other.

This newsletter was developed with you in mind. In it you will find:

• Technology Concepts. We’ll break down the complexity of designing and building a robot through a product development process.
• Software Tips and Tricks.
• Team Ideas. Let’s learn from each other. This will be another opportunity for you to share videos, images and concepts you believe can helpful for other teams.
• PTC Resources. Links and suggestions on where you can go for more information.
• Coming Up Next. A sneak peek into topics planned for the next edition.

Technology Concepts

Let’s look at how Creo can assist your team in the Detailed Design phase of the product development process. During this phase, the preliminary designs from Phase I are turned into accurate 3D solid models from the kits of parts.

Having realistic part models enables you to see the exact dimensions and spacing of components in your robot. It also lets you calculate the mass and center of gravity for your robot.

The work you did in Phase I preparing envelope models with geometric references will guide the work you do in Phase II - - assembling and revising detailed assembly models.

Software Tips and Tricks: Creo

1. Creating a top-level model for your robot system. Follow this link for overview.
   • Video: Creating a top-level assembly model for your robot system.
   • Video: Revising the Robot System model.
2. Creating a detailed design of your subsystems. Follow this link for the overview.
   • Video: Making a detailed design of a subsystem.
   • Video: Revising the system envelope to fit the part files.
   • Video: Quickly add multiple parts using the Repeat function.
3. Using pin joints to create movable mechanisms. Follow this link for the overview.
   • Video: Place the structural components of the drivetrain subsystem.
   • Video: Create a wheel assembly
4. Creating gear pairs. Follow this link to learn how to create gear pairs. [04_gearpairs.docx]
   • Video: Create a gear assembly.
   • Video: Place the wheel and gear assembly in the drivetrain subsystem.
   • Video: Set gear pair to make a working mechanism.

Team Ideas

A shout out to Spontaneous Combustion, FTC team #3123 based in Seminole, Florida. The team used Creo in their design process. Highlights include:

• Model the robot and determine how the components fit together before building.
• The lift was changed from a rotating to a fixed position to increase stability
• The sweeper system became wider to more effectively sweep a large area while also being able to push debris out of the way.
• Drivetrain changed from treads to a hybrid drivetrain that still included treads but had more power by rubber wheels.

Do you have a story or highlight to share? Please send to -.

PTC Resources for FIRST Teams

• PTC FIRST web page
• PTC FIRST user community site
• Creo software for FIRST teams
• Windchill software for FIRST teams
• Mathcad software for FIRST teams
• Kit of Parts and Playing Field models

Coming Up Next

In the next PTC Pointers, we’ll take a look at how to use the measurement and analysis tools to test your model with precision

Questions or ideas? Drop us a note at -.

Twitter: @ptc_FIRST

Facebook: @ptcfirst