MCC is Proud of What the Team Has Already Accomplished 

We’re thrilled to continue following the momentum of the RoboBlazers (#7617) as they make their way to the 2024 FIRST® Robotics Competition. This is our second year supporting the talented team of future engineers and innovators, which now boasts 22 members.

Recent graduations made this year is a time of transition for the team, as half of the members are new to the group. Now, the expanding team is up to 22 members, led by seven passionate mentors.   

MCC recently shared the team’s rigorous schedule and early progress. Since they only have eight weeks to design and program before moving into nine weeks of tournaments, their build season is in full swing.

The team just wrapped up Week 4 of their design timeline. Some team members were traveling or sick that week, so they’re a bit behind schedule — another valuable real-world lesson on how things don’t always go as planned. However, these dedicated young innovators are confident they can make up for the time lost without compromising on the end result.

Pictures: Courtesy of RoboBlazers Team.

CAD, Custom Manufacturing & Collaboration

One exciting element of the team’s design? Watching their custom parts transition from the computer screen to physical components. The RoboBlazers designed custom parts for their robot in CAD, and those designs were manufactured by another generous sponsor, CIM Systems Robotics. Some of those parts were delivered in Week 4, and the team has been busy incorporating them into the arm mechanism of the robot. 

At the same time, the mechanical team is prototyping and finalizing the design for the climbing mechanism. And the programming team has also been collaborating to develop the autonomous routines — from wiring up and programming the LEDs to learning how to control the arm movement and vision system. 

Together, these elements will help the robot perform more complex tasks, including:

• Calculating arm angles
• Determining shooter speeds
• Shooting from variable locations around the field

All of these capabilities will be essential for competing in the “Crescendo” challenge, where the team’s programmed robot must pick up flexible disks and strategically shoot or move them while also earning points for amplifying their speaker, getting on stage, harmonizing, and more before the time runs out. 

FIRST's multifaceted challenge requires a robot that can perform various movements and activities seamlessly while being driven by team members. Check out this video for an overview of how the game works.

Driving Innovation Meets Driving Practice

Because the students who drove the robots for the last four years graduated, it’s time for the next generation to take the driver’s seat. This is no easy task, as all wheels are independently controlled and steered on the swerve drive robot — meaning daily driving practice is a must! Quality programming and extensive driver practice are required to maintain the smooth movements of the robot throughout the various challenges and tasks of the competition. 

Our team can’t wait to see the finished designed and programmed robot. Stay tuned for more exciting updates on the RoboBlazers’ journey.