Mark McLeod
08-02-2012, 09:45
**FIRST ROOKIE ALERT**/Stop Build Day 2/21/12/Robot Transportation Tips
Greetings Rookies:
As the final days of build season tick by and your robot still isn’t ready, participation in FRC can look a little discouraging. Don’t give up. Plan ahead instead.
According to [R26] FRC teams may bring a maximum of 30lbs of Fabricated Items to each competition event to be used to repair and/or upgrade their Robot at the competition site. The Operator Console and any Battery assemblies are not applicable to this rule. Although your team must bag your robot on Stop Build day (February 21st), you may keep your battery assemblies out of the bag and continue to work on up to 30 pounds of additional items plus your Operator Console. Decide now what you want to keep out on Stop Build day, then focus on getting your robot running and ready to ship. You can schedule team meetings after Stop Build day to work on allowed items.
Run through the robot inspection list BEFORE you crate or bag your robot. Your robot must pass inspection before you may compete. Knowing you have a competition ready robot will save you time and effort at your first event.
Teams are provided with an empty pit space at competitions. As your robot takes shape, start to think about where components could break and how you can fix breakdowns during competition. What tools and spare parts do you want to have on hand? You have from Stop Build day until you travel to your first event to plan your workspace and pack supplies.
Teams will have all day Thursday at Regional events to make final adjustments to their robot, to get their robot through robot inspection and to test their robot in practice matches. In past years, teams that were confident their robot was ready, delegated members to assist other teams experiencing a time crunch. All events will have Robot Inspectors and many events will have Control System Advisors both of whom have an encyclopedic knowledge of robot systems. It’s ok to seek everyone’s advice and to take advantage of other team’s expertise.This is the hardest fun you will ever have and the most unique coopertition you will ever experience, so don’t give up now. Get your robot and your team to the event and watch the magic happen.
Robot Transportation tips:
Verify you have a method to transport your robot to competition. Now that you know about how big it’s going to be, do you have a safe way to lift it? Do you have a cart to move it from place to place at the competition? Do you have a vehicle large enough to transport the robot, the cart and your pit supplies?
Every team must provide proof that they ceased working on their robot on or before ROBOT STOP BUILD DAY (February 21, 2012). Details are available in Section 5 of the Administrative Manual- Robot Transportation: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/competition-manual-and-related-documents.
If you were granted an exemption to Bag & Tag, start building your crate. There won’t be time on Robot Ship day. Verify your robot will fit inside a crate that meets the size requirements. Weigh both the robot and the crate together. If they exceed 400lb your team will incur extra shipping charges. Details are available in Section 5 of the Administrative Manual- Robot Transportation: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/competition-manual-and-related-documents.
Go Rookies!
Greetings Rookies:
As the final days of build season tick by and your robot still isn’t ready, participation in FRC can look a little discouraging. Don’t give up. Plan ahead instead.
According to [R26] FRC teams may bring a maximum of 30lbs of Fabricated Items to each competition event to be used to repair and/or upgrade their Robot at the competition site. The Operator Console and any Battery assemblies are not applicable to this rule. Although your team must bag your robot on Stop Build day (February 21st), you may keep your battery assemblies out of the bag and continue to work on up to 30 pounds of additional items plus your Operator Console. Decide now what you want to keep out on Stop Build day, then focus on getting your robot running and ready to ship. You can schedule team meetings after Stop Build day to work on allowed items.
Run through the robot inspection list BEFORE you crate or bag your robot. Your robot must pass inspection before you may compete. Knowing you have a competition ready robot will save you time and effort at your first event.
Teams are provided with an empty pit space at competitions. As your robot takes shape, start to think about where components could break and how you can fix breakdowns during competition. What tools and spare parts do you want to have on hand? You have from Stop Build day until you travel to your first event to plan your workspace and pack supplies.
Teams will have all day Thursday at Regional events to make final adjustments to their robot, to get their robot through robot inspection and to test their robot in practice matches. In past years, teams that were confident their robot was ready, delegated members to assist other teams experiencing a time crunch. All events will have Robot Inspectors and many events will have Control System Advisors both of whom have an encyclopedic knowledge of robot systems. It’s ok to seek everyone’s advice and to take advantage of other team’s expertise.This is the hardest fun you will ever have and the most unique coopertition you will ever experience, so don’t give up now. Get your robot and your team to the event and watch the magic happen.
Robot Transportation tips:
Verify you have a method to transport your robot to competition. Now that you know about how big it’s going to be, do you have a safe way to lift it? Do you have a cart to move it from place to place at the competition? Do you have a vehicle large enough to transport the robot, the cart and your pit supplies?
Every team must provide proof that they ceased working on their robot on or before ROBOT STOP BUILD DAY (February 21, 2012). Details are available in Section 5 of the Administrative Manual- Robot Transportation: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/competition-manual-and-related-documents.
If you were granted an exemption to Bag & Tag, start building your crate. There won’t be time on Robot Ship day. Verify your robot will fit inside a crate that meets the size requirements. Weigh both the robot and the crate together. If they exceed 400lb your team will incur extra shipping charges. Details are available in Section 5 of the Administrative Manual- Robot Transportation: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/competition-manual-and-related-documents.
Go Rookies!