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In 2007, Joseph Ronan, then a high school student from the American School for the Deaf, made the decision to join a FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) team and take part in his first competition season. He wanted to challenge himself to do something different while having fun. Being deaf was no barrier for Joseph while on the team, nor when he made the transition from FTC participant to FIRST volunteer for Connecticut FIRST Tech Challenge . Although nervous when he first started out, Ronan explained how exciting it was to come to an FTC competition as a volunteer. His former teacher encouraged him to join the volunteer community and starting in 2011, he joined as a Referee. His dedication to the program flourished, and soon he moved from the role of Referee to Head Referee in 2015. Ronan did not expect �to become the first Deaf Head Referee in the FTC program.� He was shocked and excited to be called out at �the FTC event on February 7, 2015 at opening ceremony.� It is not just break...

3D Printing for FIRST Teams Authors: Kari Karwedsky, PTC , and Colm Prendergast, Mentor for FIRST Robotics Competition Team 1965 3D Printing Work Flow The 3D Printing Work Flow that we use is composed of 7 steps.   Step 1: Design your part using PTC Creo. Step 2: Export Model from PTC Creo in .stl format. Step 3: Prepare Model and Generate g-code file (or equivalent) for the printer. Step 4: Prepare and Level the 3D Printer Build Plate. Step 5: Load printer filament. Step 6: Print Model. Step 7: Clean up printed model. In this blog post, we will look more closely at Steps 5 and 6. 3D Printing Step 5: Load printer filament. Loading the Printer Filament is the last step to be completed prior to printing. Most 3D printers use spools of filament that are un-rolled as the filament is consumed. In our case we use 1kg roles of PLA filament. For this project we will use a roll of MakerBot �True Red� PLA filament with a 1.75mm diameter.  MakerBot �True Red� PLA filament  PLA is a...

By Samantha Fleming FIRST VISTA, Virginia As ambassadors of FIRST , I�m sure everyone is well aware of what a job it can be to explain our group, our mission, and even our name. AmeriCorps VISTAs take that confusion one step further when we try to explain our specific job and our mission. The VISTA program is a subsidiary of AmeriCorps , a government-funded, volunteer-based organization dedicated to the alleviation of poverty in the United States. You might wonder, along with many others, what that has to do with FIRST or with robots. I questioned that myself at the beginning of my tenure here. Samantha Fleming A typical VISTA year will likely be spent among low-income schools, battered women, the homeless, or any other group in need of support. I�ve spent mine among enthusiastic students and their robots. What is so unique about the FIRST -AmeriCorps partnership is the scale and scope of its ability to improve lives. There are countless stories of students without direction who w...

3D Printing for FIRST Teams Authors: Kari Karwedsky, PTC , and Colm Prendergast, Mentor for FIRST Robotics Competition Team 1965 3D Printing Work Flow The 3D Printing Work Flow that we use is composed of 7 steps.   Step 1: Design your part using PTC Creo. Step 2: Export Model from PTC Creo in .stl format. Step 3: Prepare Model and Generate g-code file (or equivalent) for the printer. Step 4: Prepare and Level the 3D Printer Build Plate. Step 5: Load printer filament. Step 6: Print Model. Step 7: Clean up printed model. In this blog post, we will look more closely at Step 4. 3D Printing Step 4: Preparing and Leveling the 3D Printer Build Plate. When getting ready to print, the Build Plate must be prepared and leveled. In most cases 3D Printer Build Plates are either Polycarbonate plastic or Glass. The Replicator 2 shipped with a Polycarbonate Build plate which was light and permitted direct printing. However, there were many reports of the plates warping which caused print problems...

3D Printing for FIRST Teams Authors: Kari Karwedsky, PTC , and Colm Prendergast, Mentor for FIRST Robotics Competition Team 1965 3D Printing Work Flow The 3D Printing Work Flow that we use is composed of 7 steps.   Step 1: Design your part using PTC Creo. Step 2: Export Model from PTC Creo in .stl format. Step 3: Prepare Model and Generate g-code file (or equivalent) for the printer. Step 4: Prepare and Level the 3D Printer Build Plate. Step 5: Load printer filament. Step 6: Print Model. Step 7: Clean up printed model. In this blog post, we will look more closely at Step 3. 3D Printing Step 3: Prepare Model and Generate g-code file (or equivalent) for the printer. In Step 1 we introduced two model files demonstrating a 0.5� shaft and bore that are intended to be connected together. We will use these as an example to demonstrate the rest of the 3D Printing process. Since we are using a MakerBot Replicator 2 printer we will be using the MakerBot Desktop software to prepare the model...

Has your team been crafty with sensors on your robot? Apply for the Control Award! Does your robot have a complex or unique autonomous program? Apply for the Control Award! Is your robot reliable during autonomous program? Apply for the Control Award! Does your robot have multiple autonomous programs? Apply for the Control Award! Is your driver-controlled robot movement enhanced with an autonomous routine? Apply for the Control Award! Want to show off what you have programmed your robot to do? Apply for the Control Award! In FIRST Tech Challenge , Teams are eligible and considered for MOST FTC awards simply by attending an FTC competition. There are a few exceptions, and those exceptions only exist because more information is required. The Control Award is one of those Awards.   However, applying for the Control Award is easy and open to every FTC team. Fill out the Control Award Content Sheet (one for each autonomous or driver-controlled program) and at your event, ask the Pi...