The Jesuit Robotics team is back this year 2011-2012 for another season of building robots and traveling to competitions. Coming off the most successful year in the club’s 4-year history, hopes are high for another entry into the FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) World Championship this year. As we prepare for the nonstop excitement of the new FIRST challenge, we will teach many new members of our team what engineering is all about and how to use all the cool toys in our shop at Valley View Mall.
This fall, we are entering our third year of participation in the VEX Robotics Competition, a lead up to the FIRST challenge, to assimilate our new members and prepare us for the 2012 FIRST season. We will field 3 teams this year hoping to make it back to the World Championships for the first time since 2010. Peter-Michael Webb ’13, Vice-President of VEX, says, “Robotics necessitates teamwork and clever engineering solutions, and VEX is a great way to teach that mindset to our new members. My goal for this season is to make it back to the World Championships in April.” Two teams, headed by Ian McBride ’12 and Kyle Wolf ’14, worked all summer long to develop two functional robots to show and teach the new members what VEX is all about. Furthermore, for the first time we are collaborating with the Ursuline VEX team to help them develop their team for the future.
Our biggest project this year is making a massive t-shirt cannon for use at football and basketball games. We hope for the giant air-powered cannon to be ready for the homecoming football game. Patrick Barone ’12 and Jeff Barone ’13 made CAD (computer-aided design) files of the cannon before sending it off to be professionally built at English teacher Mrs. Farrell’s husband’s company. Will Harris ’12 and his team are currently building the drive train and base that the cannon will move on via remote control. “This thing is going to be like a tank,” Harris mentioned. “I can’t wait to see its awesome power on the football field.”
We are all very excited for the unveiling of the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Challenge in early January, and can’t wait to begin another successful FIRST season. This year is the first year that we will have access to a CNC machine, which transforms computer drawings (CAD) of certain parts into their real, physical components. Patrick Barone’12 will again lead our team in the design and building of our robot with the valuable help of moderators Mr. Michael Couvillon, Mr. Stephen Pitts, S.J., Mr. Mark Wester, Mr. Michael Reimer, and Mr. Steve Alaniz, father of Nathan Alaniz ’12.
Stay in touch with your Jesuit Robotics team via The Roundup, as I will be writing articles periodically throughout the remainder of the year. Next article: VEX update coming after our first competition November 12.
As always, I would like to thank our sponsors for helping this club remain active: JC Penney, Steeline Enclosures, Burns Controls, Mandem Machine, Atmos Energy, and Jesuit College Prep, and to Michael Gregory ’12 for his marketing services that allow us to have these sponsors.
