"The CAD, or Computer Aided Design, portion of HOT Team plays a crucial role on the team. During the beginning of the year, members of the CAD division contribute more directly to the design of the robot than members of any other group. While the design is still in the process of solidifying, CAD members will be taught how to use Solidworks, a program that allows them to design parts in 3D, and use it to create a model of the playing field. Once the robot design is worked out further, the CAD group begins their main task, designing a 3D model of the robot. The CAD generated part drawings are given to the machining group to be made into actual parts for the robot. The 3D model is very important for showing other teams how our robot is built.
The CAD group is also responsible for generatingl the robot BOM (bill
of materials), a required list of all of the things our robot is built out of, how much they cost, what material they are, and so on and so forth. Without this list, we wouldn’t even be allowed to compete. Overall, being a part of the CAD division is a very gratifying and educational experience that I would recommend to anyone that was interested."
-John Flowers, HOT Team Student
