Skip to content

Weeks 3-4: Prototype and CAD/Build

Dates: Sept 26 - Oct 9

These weeks move the team from ideas into real testing, partial builds, and early code integration. Students should be learning from the robot, not waiting for it to be perfect.

EDP Stages

  • Develop and Prototype Solutions
  • Refine and Optimize

What Students Should Do

  • Prototype key mechanisms using fast, low-cost materials
  • Compare prototype versions and record what changes improved performance
  • Continue CAD for the selected robot layout
  • Mount hardware onto the drive base
  • Complete initial electrical wiring
  • Begin basic autonomous setup, sensors, and control testing
  • Add weekly documentation with photos, CAD screenshots, and design notes

What This Looks Like in a Team Meeting

  • Build a quick prototype before making a final part
  • Test one change at a time when possible
  • Take photos or short notes after each meaningful change
  • Share progress across mechanical, electrical, and coding groups
  • Decide what should be rebuilt, improved, or kept

Suggested Student Outputs

  • Prototype photos or sketches
  • A short log of failures, changes, and lessons learned
  • Updated CAD screenshots
  • An initial wiring plan
  • A first working hardware prototype or robot subsystem

By the End of Week 4, Students Should Be Able To Say

  • We tested real ideas, not just talked about them.
  • We know at least one thing that failed and what we learned from it.
  • We have a robot subsystem that is starting to work.
  • We can explain why our current design is better than our first idea.

Student Learning Focus

  • Learn that early prototypes are allowed to fail
  • Practice changing one thing at a time and observing the result
  • Build the habit of documenting iterations, not just final answers

Good Weekly Questions

  • What did this prototype teach us?
  • What worked, and what failed?
  • What is the next revision we should test?
  • Are we building something students can assemble and maintain reliably?

Quick Team Checklist

  • We built at least one real prototype.
  • We documented changes from one version to the next.
  • We started wiring and integrating real hardware.
  • We can name our next test instead of just saying "keep working on it."

Team Habit to Reinforce

Require every sub-team to share one thing that improved and one thing that still needs work at the end of each week.