Engineering is more than just equations and calculations; it’s about creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration. My recent EG1311 project at the National University of Singapore exemplified these principles as my team and I worked together to design and build a self-powered robot capable of navigating a challenging obstacle course.
The final team report is here.
The 3D models and renderings which i did by myself are here.
Our Project Objective
The goal of our project was to build a robot that could:
Navigate an obstacle course featuring a bump, ramp, and wall.
Launch a ping-pong ball over the wall without human interaction after the start.
Meet design constraints such as size, weight, and materials provided.
Our robot needed to achieve all these within 30 seconds, making precision and efficiency critical.
The Creative Process: Ideation and Prototyping
Our design journey started with breaking down the robot into key components:
Body: Using popsicle sticks for their lightweight and modular nature.
Wheels: Acrylic wheels for rigidity but with added traction layers to overcome smooth surfaces.
Catapult: A popsicle stick-based arm mechanism powered by a servo motor to ensure smooth launches.
Circuitry: Incorporating an H-bridge and Arduino-controlled sensors to enable movement and automation.
Code: Developing logic loops to determine the robot’s actions based on ultrasonic sensor readings.
This approach allowed us to iterate quickly and refine our design.
Overcoming Challenges
Engineering projects often come with unexpected hurdles, and ours was no exception:
Weight Issues: Our original design was too heavy, leading us to switch from a four-motor to a three-motor tricycle configuration.
Wheel Traction: The smooth acrylic wheels initially lacked grip, but lining them with anti-slip mats solved the problem.
Catapult Placement: We redesigned the arm to avoid interference with the wheels, ensuring optimal performance.
These challenges taught us the importance of adaptability and the value of learning through failure.
The Graded Run: Success Through Teamwork
After weeks of hard work, our robot successfully navigated the obstacle course on its first attempt. It cleared all challenges with precision, showcasing the effectiveness of our design and the collaboration of our team. This moment was the culmination of thorough planning, hands-on prototyping, and relentless troubleshooting.
Key Takeaways
This project left us with invaluable lessons:
Planning Matters: Overlooking details, like the role of traction, taught us to plan more meticulously in the future.
Embracing Failure: Each mistake we made became a stepping stone to improvement.
Collaboration is Key: Open discussions and collective problem-solving enhanced both the robot’s design and our teamwork skills.
Visual Showcase
To illustrate our process, we created detailed CAD renderings and 3D models, which you can view in the folder linked above. These visuals not only highlight the design elements but also serve as inspiration for future engineers.
Reflections
This project was a rewarding experience, blending technical skills with creativity and teamwork. As we continue our journey as aspiring engineers, the lessons we learned from EG1311 will undoubtedly shape our approach to future challenges.
Feel free to check out our detailed report and 3D renderings here for an in-depth look at the project!
Keywords: EG1311, engineering design, robot project, teamwork, CAD, Arduino, creativity, prototyping
Let me know if you want me to add more personal reflections or modify this!
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