I’m Pat Palmer and have been a mentor with the RoboKnights for 6 years. My background is an electrician and refrigeration technician (HVACR). Currently employed at Cirrus Logic where I keep over 100 process and test equipment machines running and develop new machines required for our micro-electronic product manufacturing operation. I also own Desert Palm Purifiers and provide true “health care” to families by improving their water and air quality.
My involvement with the RoboKnights began by solving some electrical wiring issues just to make the “dumper” run well enough to get to competition. That was our rookie year and the team has improved by leaps and bounds every year since. Last year we came in 12th from a field of 56 teams and won the website of the year award!
The enjoyment of watching a robot come together is surpassed by the students learning new skills and taking ownership of their part of the project. We teach safety and the proper use of hand and power tools. We conduct learning sessions, teaching mechanical, pneumatic, electrical and electronic systems with quizzes at the end to reinforce the new concepts. Then we go to the shop area and apply the knowledge with hands on team effort.
Our students learn true skills and work ethics that will last a lifetime. When our chief electrical person had a family emergency he and to attend, our club president took over and with the help of our newest member these two young ladies completed the wiring without any assistance. This is no small task as there are five DC voltages and seven different amperage and signal levels involved. There are power circuits, digital inputs, digital outputs, analog inputs, PWM outputs and servo outputs. Each device has to be wired through the correct circuit breaker or breakout board with the proper gauge, color and polarity for the robot to work. About six hours of work resulted in a functional machine with only one PWM output cable that had to be corrected! For me this is ample reward for being a mentor.
My focus for the club members is that they know how it works and why it is done a certain way. We even study and use different fasteners so our robot will not fall apart during competition, work on bracing and structure for strength and design concepts using computer assisted drafting (CAD). In our instant everything and push button society we have lost out on the science and technology behind our gadgets and what makes them work. Believe me; the RoboKnights know how their robot works.