Version 5.6 – The learning project
Here follows a short biography of Team Crazy Swedes starting from the very beginning.
The plan was to compete in (and of course win) the European championships in the summer of 2005. Unfortunately the championships were cancelled, so we couldn't test our mechanical muscles there.
The cancellation of the championships was probably a good thing. Because during the final testing in the summer of 2005 we came to the conclusion that the mechanical solution for the axe weapon wasn't strong enough. A redesign was called for.
Due to those and other circumstances I ended up alone with the project and at same time I moved to Stockholm (the capital of Sweden) to begin my master of science in Vehicle engineering studies at KTH.
I did come up with a new mechanical solution for the weapon and also upgraded the propulsion system, but without a team, or the mechanical workshop from my old high school the progress of the project was stuck.
During the summer of 2006 I worked hard to assemble a new team of high school students (and of course hunt for more sponsors). The new team worked hard during the year to produce all the necessary new components. We made a lot of progress, but hard work is not always enough, some times even harder work and more time is called for. After the study year 2006-7 I was again alone in the project and still the robot wasn't finnished.
Throughout the process of trying to make the robot Version 5.6 complete I constantly learned great lessons in practical engineering and problem solving. The knowledge I gained from my university studies also helped me in the robot work.
The mental progression I had made forced me to accept that the main flaw of the robot Version 5.6 was the mechanical complexity. It was necessary to pull the breaks and I decided to put Version 5.6 on shelf. It is of course going to be finished but that must happen later when I have more resources and time.
A new robot was designed from scratch, this time with the main focus to be as mechanically simple as possible, yet producing as much offensive force as possible. It had to be a full bot spinner, where the entire robot is the weapon.
In the beginning of 2008 I moved to Sydney in Australia to study as an exchange student for half a year, and therefore the entire project was frozen for that while. As soon as I got back home I kick started the project again however.
In the summer of 2008 yet another team of last year high school students from Göranssonska skolan was gathered. Now with the sole purpose to produce the parts necessary for the new robot. And that is where we are now, to see the latest status please chek the news section of this website. And to see some technical specs please check the the technical specs section of this website.