November 13, 2026 · Piedmont Makers
On Saturday, December 5, Highlander Robotics hosts Sam Neff, lead technical mentor of FRC Team 841, for a talk on electrical reliability and robot robustness, followed by hands-on inspections of up to four teams' robots.
Highlander Robotics Team 8033’s Shop Talks series continues on Saturday, December 5, at 2 PM with a session on electrical reliability and robot robustness. Sam Neff, lead technical mentor of FRC Team 841, The Biomechs, and one of the most experienced mentors in our local FRC community, will lead it at 8033’s 10th Street practice field in Oakland.
Sam and Team 841 will walk through the maintenance and quality checks they use to make sure every chassis on an alliance is ready to compete. The talk covers what they call “nerdy bolt science,” detailed inspections of how wiring holds up to repeated flexing, and the human factors that affect how reliably a robot performs. The Biomechs are bringing a working swerve drive base to demonstrate their electrical design choices live.
After the talk, Sam and Team 841 students will inspect up to four teams’ robots and give feedback and recommendations on their electrical layout and mechanical reliability. To request one of the spots, email Highlander Robotics at frc8033@piedmontmakers.org with your team number.
There will be coffee, hot chocolate, and cookies, and a chance to meet people from other teams. Bring your team, and bring your robot.
Thanks to Sam and Team 841 for sharing their time and experience. Families curious about FRC for high schoolers can find more on our robotics page.