November 12, 2021 (PDR)

Owned by Caleb Tseng-Tham (Deactivated)
Last updated: Nov 13, 2021
3 min read

  • Meeting Style

    • How do we want to arrange team discussions moving forwards?

      • e.g. update focused, vs subsystem focused

  • PDR (Preliminary Design Review Reports are due no later than 11:59pm Mountain Standard Time (MST; UTC-7) on December 3, 2021.)

    1. https://urc.marssociety.org/home/requirements-guidelines/preliminary-design-review

      1. Each sub-team should write up a short paragraph describing their subsystem

      2. Example from last year: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t9ZB0ADZ4zBIYMw5c7c2nWJdRhN2yeoIOxv2uG27XV0/edit

    2. GANTT chart (preferred by URC)

      1. “The Gantt chart should include at least the period September, 2021 through June, 2022. Specify when the team is testing remote communication, navigation, manipulation and science tasks required for competition. The chart must be of sufficient resolution so it is readable when enlarged.”

    3. PDR for 2022 (the one we’re working on now)

      1. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XN7KWO99a7nEGkCAGTDaxLNdqd1ERtHPGtL1ECeldTk/edit

  • Timelines

    • Mechanical: Manufacturing timelines from Mech?

      • How long does mech need to build everything (assuming all parts are in)

      • December to January (manufacture and assembly)

        • Divide team into manufacturing methods

          • lathe, cnc, 3d printing

    • Electrical: How long does electrical estimate they need to wire + test everything?'

      • PDB: assembled by end of december (pushed to mid-jan cause BMS integration, test by end of January)

      • Gimbal, Multi-phase buck, Jetson, end of this term, and midway though January, assembly and test

      • Science (worried about this one, just started schematic now)

        • Schematic takes longer than layout (Farris will get back on that)

        • Schematic end of the month (tentative)

      • Differential encoders, someone on EE will design that

    • SW/FW: How long does SW/FW estimate they need to test their code?

      • FW: aiming to have Odrive and stm32 all ready by end of December

        • bug squashing in January

      • Need a ODrive test rig (Ethan will do that this weekend)

        • (designed by saturday)

        • Caleb might need to do some more machining for this one

      • Need to make a microcontroller for gimbal (FW and Electrical need to communicate on this one)

        • Time TBD

      • SW:

        • Drivetrain handed off to Melvin (redesigned)

        • Orson working on arm (get arm done end of November)

          • much faster now

        • Software training is still being done by new software people

        • January/Feb to get things done

    • Science: Time until science plan is finished?

      • Science plan due in May

      • SAR starts early March, late Feb, lets plan to get everything done by latest mid January

  • Components

    • Encoders: If I don’t get any email reply from RLS, I’ll send out a follow up email today once my midterm’s done

  • W2022 Leadership (For all the sub-team leads to think about)

    • Think about new lead

      • Caleb will be doing the transition for the next month of the next term

    • Faculty advisor?

  • Updates from Finance

  1. Thank you to the leads for your help with WEEF!!

  2. We had our presentation on Tuesday, and I’ve found out from a friend on the council that we have tentatively received our 4th option. (officially confirmed in the next two weeks or so). This was less then we thought based on how much was allocated, but still around how much we normally get for a term. There will also be more funding available for next term then normal.

  1. Eng Soc is due on Tuesday. There is some leeway to this deadline as no one really found out until today as the website was not updated, though I would like to get it in on time. In the past, we’ve gotten between $500-$1,000/term. Because we know what we got from WEEF (before most would) we can strategically ask for eng soc. Specifically, eng soc likes things that last longer, so I think we should ask for a soldering station, and some cables and tools for software too. We have some leftover money that has not been spent yet for electrical/mechanical, so I will be reaching out to the respective leads and letting you know how much and what it is for.

  2. As per my calculations we only have $400 left from past WEEF grants. This is not worrisome, as we just got more funding, and I have included several large purchases already. Just FYI.

  3. I need to get a grip on every single sponsor we currently have. I’ve already talked to some people last week, but if anyone knows anything about sponsors, we’re using please let me know asap (I need it for PDR)