Science, Technology & and Boo!

A number of team members participated in STEMFest at NIU this weekend.  Got to play robots with five other FIRST FRC teams and shared the impact of STEM education and activities with a great audience and connected with a Lego League team from Dekalb.  

This coming weekend, Winnovation will be helping the village at the Scarecrow Fest on Saturday in downtown Winnebago.  We've also relocated our Haunted Maze to the Village Hall.  Stop by and say hi this weekend.

And, last but not least, the mini bot game will be released on Saturday October, 27.  Look for details here and on the team update page.  

What Offseason?!?

As usual it's been a busy and productive summer for Winnovation FIRST Team 1625:

• Hosted week-long "Legos, Slime and Other Things" camp for elementary and middle school kids from the area.  More than 25 participants enjoyed hands-on science activities (some disguised as a whole lot of FUN!)
• Hosted a jam-packed robotics workshop for more than 100 robotics geeks from Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Indiana.  Topics included programming, strategy, animation, communication and team-building.
• Family campout - even though it was VERY hot 30 or so parents and kids enjoyed boating, swimming, campfire, charades.
• Weekly work sessions at the shop - clean up is slow and tiring, but we're working hard at organizing (though it looks more like disorganizing most of the time) the shop to be a more efficient workspace during build season.

We still have several "play dates" coming up:

• August 11 - MontgomeryFest
• August  16 - Winnebago County Fair, Moss Hall from 2pm - 3pm
• Sept 1 - On the Waterfront Robot from 12pm - 4pm

Team meetings Monday nights, yes even during the summer.

Camp and Clinic

Winnovation will be hosting two offseason educational events:

• Legos, Slime and Other Things camp for K - 8, week of June 11.  For more camp details or to register, click here. 
• Robotics Clinic for FRC teams, mentors, or others interested in FRC programs.  For more clinic details or to register, click here.

Legos, Slime and Other Things - June 11-15, 2012

Back by popular demand, Legos, Slime and Other Things returns!  Winnovation FIRST Team 1625 will a week-long day camp for elementary students. Held in the "town hall" in downtown Winnebago, IL participants will participate in hands-on science and technology experiments.  Special thanks to the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois for their generous support from an In Youth We Trust grant. For more camp details or to register, click here. 


Robotics Clinic - June 23, 2012

Winnovation FIRST Team 1625 will host a one-day robotics clinic on June 23, 2012 (9am - 6:30pm) in Winnebago, IL. Dinner and social activity, for those able to stay, will follow.  Robotics Clinic for FRC teams, mentors, or others interested in FRC programs.  For more clinic details or to register, click here.


The clinic will include sessions on planning and design, programming, marketing, awards with material for both team members and mentors, rookies or veterans. Presenters will include Winnovation students, FIRST alumni and mentors, along with industry experts.  Cost is $10 for students, no charge for mentors.  Registration includes all course materials and lunch and dinner. Click image to view schedule.

Upcoming Events!

After a great competition season, FIRST Team 1625 is gearing up for some community service events.  This Saturday, April 14, Winnovation will be participating in a benefit for the Williams Family to be held at the high school campus.  Details on the event are available here.  We're thrilled to be part of this wonderful event.

Looking ahead, Winnovation FIRST Team 1625 will host a one-day robotics clinic on June 23, 2012 in Winnebago, IL. The clinic will include sessions on planning and design, programming, marketing, awards with material for both team members and mentors, rookies or veterans. 

Call for topics and presenters - if you have a topic you'd like to see covered or are willing to present on a topic, drop us a note on twitter @frc1625 or email team1625@gmail.com.  Student presenters welcome too!

Details will be announced via FIRST IL email blasts Check this page for registration details during May 2012.  For more information email team1625@gmail.com.

Off-Season Prototype

During the off-season Arthur Siebel led a project to build an eight-wheel drive prototype.  It is geared at 13.5 feet per second using 3-inch Colson wheels.  With electronics, it weighs 42 pounds.  The gearbox is single-stage made from standard commercial-off-the-shelf gears we had in the shop.  It was simple to make and will be easy to manufacturing during the season.  This prototype uses eight single-piece wheel assemblies. These are tied to the main drive axle by chain.  This simple single-piece design allows for lighter overall product that will always be able to drive, even if a chain breaks or is disconnected during competition.

2012 Prototype - Full Drive Train

2012 Prototype - Gear Box

2012 Prototype - Wheel Assembly