Recycle Rush Rules - Upside-down totes?

[The Doctor]

There are 10 totes stacked upside-down in the landfill, but can we leave them upside-down to stack them?

What i mean is: can we stack the totes without flipping them over first?

There weren't a whole lot of references to the upside-down totes, The manual assumed they would all be right-side up to be stacked.

Can anyone provide some more light on the subject?

[Bryan Herbst]

I don't see an orientation specified for stacked totes as of right now.

Might be a good question for the QA.

[PVCpirate]

As far as I can tell, tote orientation does not matter at all. However, I would also say that upside-down totes aren't mentioned at all. If this gets asked in the Q and A, I would expect a team update adding to the diagram which explains which stacks count for scoring.

[Mark3206]

What is a good way to pick up the upside down totes. and what is the fastest way to the recycle bins?

[Jacob Bendicksen]

As far as I can tell, the manual doesn't mention tote orientation for stack scoring, so I wouldn't think that it matters. It does seem like a good Q&A clarification, though.

What is a good way to pick up the upside down totes. and what is the fastest way to the recycle bins?

One way to pick up the upside down totes would be to have two arms (pneumatic cylinders, probably) that come from either side and grab the tote. Then it doesn't matter which orientation it's in. The fastest way to the recycle bins involves moving a lot of totes - the exact route will probably depend on your robot's intake mechanisms.

On a similar note, we tried making a stack with some totes upside down today, and while it's not as stable as a properly stacked stack, it's still reasonably stable. Definitely not impossible.

[MikLast]

as far im concerned, it should be legal, as nothing is explicitly said you cant. that doesn't mean to say they may update the rules saying you cant, which would make stacking them harder if they were originally upside down.

[bEdhEd]

On a similar note, we tried making a stack with some totes upside down today, and while it's not as stable as a properly stacked stack, it's still reasonably stable. Definitely not impossible.

My team was also speculating on the usefulness of inverted stacking. We found that both right side up and inverted stacking were close in stability to where the difference between the types of stacking may be negligibe. What matters is that a stack has ALL totes oriented the same way. If there are totes that are stacked opposite facing, obviously they slide. We have a prototype started for a passive system that ensures all totes (and if strategically advantagous, containers as well) we pick up are stacked inverted for consistency.

[GKrotkov]

What is a good way to pick up the upside down totes. and what is the fastest way to the recycle bins?

It's also not unreasonable to just build a plowie-type robot*, and simply run straight for the step in autonomous. You'd clear out some totes, and then when teleop begins, race for the bins, and pull them over to your side. I suppose the plowie model doesn't help for pulling the bins, but it's important to remember you shouldn't need to bother with stacking the totes if you're just racing for the bins.


* Yes, I know his name is actually dozer.

[seamushroom]

but the totes are backed by a wall, a plow wouldn't do anything.