Overall, we had a pretty kink free build and a great experience in ME 210. Obviously we ran into some problems and had to do our fair share of trouble shooting, however all in all the process was fairly streamlined and efficient because we took steps to make it so. With that in mind, we want to talk about a few important lessons for future ME 210 students that we learned along the way:
- Start Early: It will make your life a lot easier, and all the teams that did well in the competition checked off very early on.
- Build a Sophisticated Drivetrain: It's easy to do and it will pay dividends.
- Build a full CAD model: It will allow you to avoid so many mechanical problems. Just do it.
- Laser Cutter Reservations: Stock pile them. The laser cutter is often the limiting factor in the project.
- Communication: Having a good team in this class is everything, and its best when everyone is on the same page and having fun. Take steps to make sure this happens.