Texas Instruments TI-RSLK Instructions for use

Texas Instruments Robotics System
Construction guide

Construction guide
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Texas Instruments Robotics System Learning Kit: The Solderless Maze Edition
SEKP164
Table of Contents
Section I Assembly guide....................................................................................... 4
1.0 Needed Items...................................................................................................... 4
1.2 Installing the motor clips............................................................................... 7
1.3 Motor installment................................................................................................ 8
1.4 Tire and wheel installment........................................................................... 9
1.5 Ball caster installment ..................................................................................10
1.6 The 8 channel QTRX line following sensor installment .................12
1.7 MSP432P401R LaunchPad installment .................................................14
1.8 Install six AA-sized batteries into the battery compartment........16
Section II LaunchPad preparation...................................................................18
2.0 Needed Items....................................................................................................18
2.1 Install 2x19 header onto the LaunchPad ..............................................18
2.2 Install 2x1 Header onto LaunchPad ........................................................19
2.3 Remove the 5V jumper .................................................................................20
Section III: Disassembly guide ..........................................................................22
3.0 Needed Items....................................................................................................22
3.1 Remove batteries and QTRX line following sensor...........................22
3.3 Remove MSP432P401R LaunchPad........................................................23
3.4 Remove the Motors ........................................................................................24
3.5 Remove the two bumper switch boards................................................25
3.6 Remove the chassis board ...........................................................................25
Section IV: Attaching the display .....................................................................28
4.0 Needed Items ....................................................................................................28
4.1 Install 1x9 header onto the TI-RSLK Max chassis board ................29
4.2 Attach the display to the header...............................................................30

Construction guide
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Texas Instruments Robotics System Learning Kit: The Solderless Maze Edition
SEKP164
Assembly guide

Construction guide
4
Texas Instruments Robotics System Learning Kit: The Solderless Maze Edition
SEKP164
Section I Assembly guide
This section will cover the basic assembly of the parts associated with
the TI-RSLK MAX Robot. You will also learn how to install the TI
MSP432 LaunchPad on the robot.
1.0 Needed Items
The following items included in your kit (Figure 1) will be needed to
construct the TI-RSLK Max:
•One Romi chassis plastic base plate (black) with the TI-RSLK
chassis board and battery installed
•One right and one left bumper assembly, along with four nuts
and four 7/16th inch long bolts
•One 8-channel QTR reflectance sensor array
•Two Romi chassis motor clips
•Two Romi gear motors with encoders
•Two Romi wheels with tires
•One Romi ball caster kit
•One TI MSP432P401R LaunchPad development with the
required headers (2x19 and 2x1) attached
You will also need a Phillips head screwdriver, which is not included in
the kit.
Figure 1. Needed items shown above

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Texas Instruments Robotics System Learning Kit: The Solderless Maze Edition
SEKP164
1.1 Installment of the two bumper switch boards
The following steps will be used to show how to install the two bumper
switch boards at the front (curved) end of the TI-RSLK Max. For this
step, you’ll need the left and right bumper switch boards and a set of
two 7/16” bolts and two nuts for each board as shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2. Required parts to install the left and right bumper
switch boards
Each bumper switch board has a 4-pin male header that needs to be
inserted horizontally into a corresponding 4-pin female header on the
front, curved end of the TI-RSLK. These female headers can be found
on the underside of the chassis board at the edge of the curved end see
(Figure 3).
Figure 3. Location of the female headers for the bumper switch boards
Figure 4. Insertion of bumper switch board into female header as shown
in Figure 3

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Texas Instruments Robotics System Learning Kit: The Solderless Maze Edition
SEKP164
Next secure the bumper switch boards to the plastic chassis using the
four 7/16” bolts and nuts. The required holes for these bolts are shown in
Figure 5. Please note that we recommend inserting the bolts from the
underside of the chassis rather than the top, unlike what is shown in
Figure 5.
Figure 5. Location of holes to secure the bumper switch boards.
We recommend inserting the bolts for easier tightening of the screw due
to the front lip of the chassis side.

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Texas Instruments Robotics System Learning Kit: The Solderless Maze Edition
SEKP164
1.2 Installing the motor clips
The following steps will show you how to install the motor clips to the
plastic chassis. This step should be done before inserting motors
otherwise it will not fit. The motor clips are identical, so they can be
installed on either side of the board.
The motor clips must be installed from underneath the chassis with the
motor retaining barbs facing upwards. You’ll notice that there are
grooves in the plastic chassis and guide rails on the motor clips that will
only allow you to orient and install the clips in one direction (Figure 6).
With the motor clip aligned with the grooves as just instructed, push the
motor clip all the way up into the plastic base plate. You may hear clicks
along the way, but it is not fully secured and correctly installed until the
bottom of the motor clip is flush with the bottom of the plastic chassis
plate (Figure 7). Please double check this. If the motor clip is not fully
secured with the inner barb over the top of the plastic chassis plate, then
you risk breaking this barb when you insert the motor.
Figure 6. View showing both sides of the motor clips and the 3 barbs
and guide rails.
Figure 7. Motor clip is fully installed when the bottom is flush with the
plastic chassis

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Texas Instruments Robotics System Learning Kit: The Solderless Maze Edition
SEKP164
1.3 Motor installment
The following steps will be used to show how to properly insert both
motors into the motor clips. The motors are identical so either motor can
be placed on either side of the board.
Align the motor assembly such that the motor’s circuit board and pins
point towards the chassis board and the metal motor shaft points
outwards and away from the robot (Figure 8).
Figure 8. Picture showing properly motor alignment and black plastic
barbs holding the motors in place.
Once aligned, begin to insert the motor into the motor clips by gently
spreading apart the black plastic retaining barbs. Before pressing the
motor down, ensure that the motor is aligned evenly within the motor clip
and ensure that the pins of the header are properly aligned with the
connector on the chassis board (Figure 9).
Figure 9. Ensure the motor is straight and pins are aligned before
pressing down firmly.

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Texas Instruments Robotics System Learning Kit: The Solderless Maze Edition
SEKP164
1.4 Tire and wheel installment
The following steps will be used to show how to assemble the tires onto
the wheels and insert the wheel assembly onto the motors.
The rubber tires first need to be installed onto the wheels as shown in
Figure 10. This can be a challenging exercise since the tires must be
stretched greatly to fit onto the wheels.
Figure 10. Tires properly installed onto the wheels. Notice the “D”
shaped hole in the center of the wheel.
Before installing the wheels, please notice the “D” shaped hole in the
center of the wheel. This shape aligns with the “D” shaped metal motor
shaft on the motor assembly. Also notice that the plastic immediately
surrounding the “D” shape on the wheel protrudes out on one side, while
the other side is flat. The protruding side of the wheel should face the
robot to create space away from the robot chassis and reduce any
possible friction.
With the protruding end of the wheel pointing towards the robot, align the
“D” shapes on the wheel and motor shaft, and then begin pressing the
wheel onto the motor. It may require significant force to press the wheel
fully onto the motor shaft while ensuring proper alignment. One
technique to apply the required force is to put the chassis on its side and
press the chassis down against the table to insert the wheel fully onto the
motor shaft (Figure 11).
Figure 11. Applying force to insert the wheel onto the motor shaft

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Texas Instruments Robotics System Learning Kit: The Solderless Maze Edition
SEKP164
1.5 Ball caster installment
The following steps will be used to show how to assemble the ball caster
(Figure 12) onto your robot.
Figure 12. Ball caster components
From the underside of your robot, notice that there are two locations
where you can install a ball caster. We will use the location on the
opposite end from where you installed the bumper switches (Figure 13).
Once the batteries are installed, there will be more weight on the back of
the robot to force it down, which is why this location has been chosen.
Figure 13. Proper location of ball caster