BumperGoals

I started with a robot that has two back wheels and a ball caster, so I knew the robot needed tank‑style control.

That meant one joystick should only move the robot forward and backward, and the other joystick should only turn it left and right.

I kept trying to wire the joysticks and write the code, but every time I moved joystick one left or right, numbers still showed up even though I only wanted up and down.

Then joystick two kept giving numbers when I moved it up or down, even though I only wanted left and right. I tried ignoring the extra axes by forcing them to zero, but I accidentally used JOY2_VERTICAL even though I never defined it, which caused the compile error.

I removed that line and simplified everything so the robot only listens to A0 for forward and A3 for turning. After fixing the mistakes, the code finally compiled and matched exactly what I wanted: joystick one only controls forward and backward, joystick two only controls turning, and all unwanted directions are ignored.

We originally planned to design our own PCB from scratch, thinking it would give us full control over the hardware and let us customize every part of the system. Once we actually started mapping out the traces, components, power regulation, and connector layout, we realized how much time and precision the board would require.

Between sourcing the right parts, verifying footprints, checking tolerances, and making sure the board wouldn’t introduce noise or voltage issues, the project quickly became way more complicated than it looked at first.

After digging deeper, we found an existing board online that already matched the exact functionality we needed. It had the right inputs, the correct voltage handling, and a layout that fit perfectly with the rest of our system. Instead of spending weeks designing, revising, and manufacturing a custom board, it made way more sense to just purchase the one that already exists and is proven to work.

Buying the board lets us skip the hardest part of the hardware process and focus our time where it actually matters.So now, instead of fighting with PCB design and manufacturing, we’re putting our effort into microcontroller coding.

With the hardware handled, we can focus on writing the firmware, setting up communication, tuning the logic, and making sure the system behaves exactly how we want. It’s a much more efficient path, and it lets us move forward faster without getting stuck on the hardware side.

Working on making a PCB for my Mechanical Project.

Understanding how to use PCB

I was learning on how to make a PCB