Integration and Test (I&T)

…The forgotten subteam

Kevin Killian, Coach

Pascack ONEERS, Team 1676kkillian@pascack.k12.nj.us

Which subteam does these tasks?

Builds and maintains the practice field

Follows the weight budget Conducts drive team selection Decides who gets the working chassis on a day-to-day basis

Balances driver practice vs. programming on the live robot

How about….

Integration and Test in R&D Organizations - Aerospace

For aerospace product development, I&T is a separate group Results must be trusted by product team and customers (and regulatory agencies)

Used to find defects early in the design process

Sets pace of project by scheduling test “gates”

Runs customer acceptance/verification testing

For programming, I&T tests sub-modules and integrates software with hardware

Integration and Test in R&D Organizations - Science

Typical entry-level job in an R&D lab: conduct testing and collect & analyze data

For scientific research, creating test and measurement equipment is often the hardest part of the job

Roles of I&T

Manage interfaces between assemblies and between subteams

Manage Assets Test assemblies and components Perform compliance testing Track development schedule Manage budgets Perform system test

Manage Interfaces

This is the integration part Examples of interfaces

Software and chosen hardware Electronics and the components they drive

Mounting of electronics Perform compatibility testing (try out a prototype)

Prioritize modularity/modification ease

Manage Assets

The robot-in-process Driver testing and practice Software development Hardware integration onto the chassis

The field Manipulator prototyping Driver practice Field construction and maintenance

And….

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

The new control system

Wiring Bench Testing

Electrical Programming

Installation into the robot Making the chassis work vs. additional programming development

Test Assemblies and Components Create test specifications and test plans

Build test equipment Conduct tests prior to integration of the components or assemblies

Examples of component or assembly-level tests Camera discrimination before camera mounting Sensor effectiveness before sensor mounting Bench testing of manipulator/scoring/collecting device

Incoming testing of motors, belts, chain, etc Find design errors or defects early

Perform Compliance Testing

Can be from sub-component level to complete system level

Test Physical characteristics (size, weight)

Test Performance characteristics (ball shooter velocity)

Manage Budgets

Weight Power Possibly height, width, length Control Board Ports and modules

Buttons on operator panel

Perform System Test

Write test specifications Write test plan Build simulated field Schedule testing Schedule game practice (Beta Testing)

Choose Tournament operators (drive team)

Who should be assigned to I&T?

A strong, respected team member to enforce the development schedule

A few good math & science students Geometric analyses Physics computations (ball trajectory)

Members who may not work on robot fabrication, but would enjoy field construction

Members who can create and conduct measurements and tests Detail-oriented Analytical

Example: Clyde (2006 Aim High)

2006 Assembly/Component-Level tests

Camera accuracy – measured vs. computed angle to green light in 2 dimensions

Conveyor speed and capacity Turret and tilt “lock-on” to green light

Ball shooter velocity

Let’s Brainstorm: 2009 Testing

Assembly-level testing? Component testing? System testing? Other Suggestions?

Gracious Professionalism…

…don’t leave high school without it!