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Robotics - NASA Robotic Mining Competition

As a member of Case Western's CWRUBOTIX, I participate in the NASA Robotic Mining Competition. This competition has teams design, construct, and test autonomous vehicles tasked with locating, digging, sorting, and depositing materials on a Mars or Moon simulated environment.

Design

I participate in the Deposition Sub-team, tasked with gathering, sorting, and depositing regolith material. Using Solidworks and Solidworks Simulation, we design and simulate our mechanism before manufacturing it. 

Manufacturing

I am heavily involved with the manufacturing and assembly of the robot each year. Using a HURCO CNC Mill, we perform the first operation on our parts. All secondary operations are performed on Manual Mills or Lathes as necessary. 

Testing

After manufacturing the robot, usually in early spring, we test the robot numerous times to identify issues and problems that need to be resolved. These tests identify parts and mechanisms that either need to be modified, or that need backup parts to fix at the competition.

Skills Demonstrated

  • Mechanical Design

  • Solidworks

  • Solidworks Simulation

  • CNC Mill

  • CAM

  • Manual Mill & Lathe

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