Integration and Test (I&T)

1. Integration and Test (I&T) …The forgotten subteam Kevin Killian, Coach Pascack ONEERS, Team 1676 kkillian@pascack.k12.nj.us

2. 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

3. How about…. The Integration and Test Subteam

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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….

9. The new control system • Wiring • Bench Testing • Electrical • Programming • Installation into the robot • Making the chassis work vs. additional programming development

10. 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

11. Perform Compliance Testing • Can be from sub-component level to complete system level • Test Physical characteristics (size, weight) • Test Performance characteristics (ball shooter velocity)

12. Manage Budgets • Weight • Power • Possibly height, width, length • Control Board Ports and modules • Buttons on operator panel

13. Perform System Test • Write test specifications • Write test plan • Build simulated field • Schedule testing • Schedule game practice (Beta Testing) • Choose Tournament operators (drive team)

14. 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

15. Example: Clyde (2006 Aim High)

16. 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

17. Let’s Brainstorm: 2009 Testing • Assembly-level testing? • Component testing? • System testing? • Other Suggestions?

18. Gracious Professionalism… …don’t leave high school without it!