Past Robots
COMPETITION ROBOTS
COMPETITION ROBOTS
FIRST Charged Up (2023)
Nickname: Kelvin
Kelvin was our 2023 robot, which featured a full-swerve chassis, a robust claw, and an effective intake. Our bot was able to balance extremely well on the charging station and the swerve drive made Kelvin extremely fast. While we never made it farther than District Championships, Kelvin was iconic. It was the first time our team had ever completed a full-swerve robot, which allowed us to learn about how we wanted our bots to drive in future challenges.
FIRST Rapid React (2022)
Nickname: Jankins
Jankins was our 2022 season robot. After COVID, we knew we had to come back better than ever, and we succeeded. With a fast and effective climber, an accurate shooter, and a perfectly balanced design, Jankins was able to score tons of points. The bot used a tank drivetrain to navigate the field and around other bots. It was a force to be reckoned with at the local events and would take us to the finals at the district competition. Jankins had a great season and a lot of design aspects will be taken into account for our future robots.
FIRST Infinite Recharge 21 (2021)
Nickname: MIG
MIG was our 2020-2021 lockdown robot. This bot can pick up, store, and shoot foam balls with amazing speed and accuracy. MIG uses a Swervedriver, which allows it to be extra nimble. Even though it was never able to compete, this robot was the first time we successfully created a robot with a swerve drivetrain. Our team is so proud of it, in fact, that it is currently being used to show off at school events. MIG holds a special place in our team and is the trailhead for using swerve in our bots going forward.
FIRST Infinite Recharge (2020)
Nickname: Kronk
Kronk was our 2020 robot. Its time in competition may have been cut short due to COVID, but this bot was a force to be reckoned with. With a strong arm, the ability to store balls in the chassis, and its speedy tank drivetrain, Kronk could be super aggressive on the offense as well as the defense. Even though Kronk was only able to compete once, its versatility paved the way for our newer bots.
FIRST Destination Deep Space (2019)
Nickname: Geoff
Geoff is the CAVineers' 2019 robot. Geoff (gee-off), is designed with a grabber made of shape-optimized polycarbonate and holds both cargo and hatches with a pneumatic claw so that the robot performs exceptionally well without losing any style points. Geoff has a West Coast drivetrain, with a drop-center and Omni wheels in the back to assist with pivoting. Shifting gearboxes allow Geoff to play a mean defense. The elevator is a step-up from its sibling, Fahrenheit, allowing for the grabber to flip back and forth through the middle. Geoff's elevator is also capable of lifting both hatches and cargo to all levels of the rocket. Winning Chairman's and playing in the finals at the Oxon Hill district event, Geoff was a force to be reckoned with. Geoff won the Chesapeake District Championship and made it to the semi-finals of the Daly field at the World Championships.
FIRST Power Up (2018)
Nickname: Fahrenheit
Fahrenheit, the CAVineers’ first award-winning robot, is the pride and joy of the team. Thanks to its cascading elevator, coded with cascading PIDs; carbon fiber grabber; West Coast drivetrain, complete with shifting gearboxes; and the last-minute addition of a climber, this robot brought us our best season yet. With a robust design, combined with its 10 different autonomous paths to choose from, we were not only chosen for an alliance at the World Championships, but also won the Archimedes sub-division in Detroit, Michigan.
FIRST Steamworks (2017)
Nickname: Bruce
With its legendary 2.1 second climber, Cheesecake; robust design; and colorful LEDs, Bruce really had it all. Our robot was specifically a gear robot and used an active gear placement that never failed to place the gear on its peg. Our climber, although it screamed like a banshee, was so fast that we were able to continue placing gears all the way until the last seconds of the match, making us a great addition to any team. Our rope and climber each had different sides of velcro to allow for a strong grip on the rope and contributed to our rapid climb.
FIRST Stronghold (2016)
Nickname: Finnegan
Finnegan, the name of the dragon which appears on our robot and pit, has wholeheartedly been chosen as the front-runner for Team 4541. Finnegan's strategy was to traverse category A, B, and D defenses as well as shoot for both the high and low goals. Finnegan utilizes a dual motor intake and shooting system.
FIRST Recycle Rush (2015)
Nickname: King Charles
Recycle Rush was the 2015 challenge! The objective was to gather and stack recycling bins and place them in stacks and then place a trashcan on top of the stacks. King Charles was able to dominate the local events and ended up winning the Chesapeake District Championships. During this season, our team traveled to St. Louis and competed in the FIRST World Championships!
FIRST Aerial Assist (2014)
Nickname: Kevin
Aerial Assist was the 2014 challenge! The objective was to pass 2ft diameter yoga balls between robots and then launch them into wall goals. Kevin had two main components: to pick up, pass, or shoot the large ball. The Intake mechanism was a direct motor mount to axle system that allowed a lot of torque to pick up the ball from the ground. This loaded the ball into a aluminum loop that is connected to a 12" bore pneumatic. With its bright colors, accurate shooter, and effective intake, Kevin was instantly recognizable on the field.
FIRST Ultimate Ascent (2013)
Nickname: Horton
Ultimate Ascent was the 2013 challenge! Watch the video for the challenge details. The objective was to throw Frisbees into wall goals. The game ends with a pyramid climb challenge. Horton used a single active arm to lift its 110lb frame up the pyramid. It had two passive hooks to rest to the robot on a rung as a winch and spring system extended the nearly 3 foot arm out.
EXHIBITION ROBOTS
T-Shirt Cannon
Nickname: Beef Bot
For years now, our team’s T-shirt cannon has been a symbol of fame and school spirit for Archbishop Spalding. What started out as an off-season, for-fun pet project has turned into the de-facto representation of our team at our school. Over time, it has evolved and grown with our team, starting from a jumbled mess of cables barely held together by its case to the refined, colorful, flashy design that we see today at almost every school event. With a mecanum drive train, twin batteries, a brand-new pneumatics system, and a lighting scheme better than any concert on Earth, it’s absolutely stunning what it has morphed into.
This robot was recently retired, although we have something special in the works. Stay tuned to see what our brilliant minds have come up with...
