• Don’t wait until the end to get your mechanical designs done
• Reserve any machines you need for fabrication early. Those slots fill up
• Give yourself some time at the end to stress test your machine to make sure it is durable to survive the showcase
• State diagrams are your friend!
• Never underestimate how much time debugging minor bugs can take
• Always allocate more time than you expect for tasks
• Make a list of materials you will need early. Materials in the PRL run out and not everything is available there
• Start simple and add complexity if time permits
• Make certain parts of assembly removable for easy access to electronics or components that may need to be adjusted
• Try to modify off the shelf products which can be faster and more efficient than 3D printing 
• When integrating modules, add one component and make sure everything works before adding more
• Cutting items from scrap material in the PRL will save you money