10/24 Meeting & THIS Saturday

Hey gang,

On Tuesday, 10/24 we had a Rules quiz. We covered the absolute fundamental things everybody on the Team needs to know in the Quiz. Basic dimensions and design envelope, member requirements, some basic construction considerations, as well as others.

Correct answers got rewarded with some nice Scooby Snacks, wrong answers were punished with the usual caning across the back. Despite the punishment, most everybody was willing to try for the answer, which was refreshing.

THIS Saturday 10/28 at 10 a.m. -- we'll have a very serious and considerate design/analysis meeting. Hopefully, Matt will have design packages ready for analysis, as well as design folders for each new member detailing the many bridge types we have on the platter this fall. Analysis should go quickly once we get going as it has been streamlined to the bare necessities over the past 4 seasons...now it's just a matter of monitoring weight (including weld and connection weight), and fine tuning the fabrication process yet again.

Notes on fab:
1. We're going to try to get that girder/or truss deck up to it's maximum depth possible. This will require a mock up model of the new, uber-efficient dovetail design with the advanced alloy form Pierce-Spafford or ABC in Sac.

2. We need to plan for the possibility of a floor-flat welding procedure of a truss if that design is chosen. The NDSU procedure looked awesome, it's like doing a beam, just on a bigger scale, and it will alleviate the need for excess clamping (though there is not such a thing), but it will help keep things from falling on our craniums.

3. Need to make OT collars.

4. Need to re-examine Dovetail redundancy :(i.e. fab/test/research/analysis/results/implementation of new sizes) -- added depth means less axial force, so we don't need as much DT mass as before. Beams are another story.

Okay, one day at a time, non-stop, push to perfection, Unity! (yes, I'm doing the Dave Chappelle voice) Chrome Ollie por vida.

p.s. - for the unmotivated: Chico beat us at Nationals last season, let alone 7 other teams, GET ASSIGNMENTS, GET IN THE LAB, GET IN THE SHOP!!! GET 'ER DONE!