[FRC Blog] Info for Teams Headed to St. Louis

[notmattlythgoe]

Info for Teams Headed to St. Louis

Blog Date:
Friday, April 17, 2015 - 09:06

Today we have the second of two blogs focusing on 2015 FIRST Championship logistics from Toby Clarke, FRC Program Manager.

We are committed to make the Championship a great event for all involved. Part of this is a smooth move in which I covered in my previous blog. Equally well, we also need to help create a smooth and safe move out. With the updated schedule this year including qualifying matches finishing on Friday night and Alliance selection early Saturday morning, we plan to try something new this year.

The safest time to move 600 robot crates is when the pits are empty. On Friday night we are going to try and move as many robot crates as possible back to your pit so they are ready for your Saturday morning. For this to work we need your help. Before you leave the Pits on Friday night, and if even possible, please try and clear a 4’ x 4’ area (preferably 5’ x 5’) in your pit so that our staff may deliver your crate overnight. If you do this, you will find your crate waiting for you Saturday morning. If you are not able to do this, then you may request your crate later on Saturday but please be prepared to wait for delivery depending on the queue.

Thanks for your help and we look forward to seeing you all in St. Louis for a fantastic Championship experience


Umm, you want me to give up 1/4 of my pit while still competing?

[hardcopi]

I think what they are trying to say without saying it is: "If you are pretty sure you won't be picked for an alliance, then how about we get packed up early?"

Problem with this is that for some teams the perfect 3rd bot is a frame with some eye hooks and no wheels.

[BrendanB]

Umm, you want me to give up 1/4 of my pit while still competing?

Its not ideal especially for teams attempting to make last second cheesecakes after alliance selections mixed in with a ton of teams packing up their pits.

It should work because I know most teams have plenty of rooms in their champs pits since many pack light and if you don't just do as the blog says and request your crate at a later time.

At least they are doing it during a time when no one is around the pits. Getting our crate back to pack it up was a pretty lengthy process in the past (sometimes over an hour after we requested it) so on the bright side you won't miss much action on the field because you can go straight to packing. Plus once elimination matches start most teams will head out to the field with their pit supplies and setup camp out on the dome floor (should be fun with 256 teams out there!) so you really aren't competing with a crate and your pit. The overlap is maybe an hour or so before your team leaves for the dome.

I think its a good move and helps from a logistics standpoint.

[marshall]

I have a *crate* idea. Instead of trying to move crates, why don't you allow teams to move their robot to their crate when they are done competing on Saturday. I think it might be easier. For one, most teams already have a cart for their robot and can take it to the crate. For two, most teams are just shipping their robot. Of course there will be exceptions to manage for this as I'm sure there will be for the current plan as well.

Or we could just try and shove crates into pits where they won't fit.

[BigJ]

The A-Z guide last week or so implied that the crate Firday night was mandatory, so this seems like a good improvement for the teams who are pretty sure they will be playing on Saturday.

[wilsonmw04]

The A-Z guide last week or so implied that the crate Firday night was mandatory, so this seems like a good improvement for the teams who are pretty sure they will be playing on Saturday.

I was thinking the exact same thing.

[Jessica Boucher]

I have a *crate* idea. Instead of trying to move crates, why don't you allow teams to move their robot to their crate when they are done competing on Saturday.

If you look at the pit map here: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/blog-2015-frc-championship-updates you'll see crate storage is going to be packed like sardines. I think it's a crate idea, but logistically it's probably better to bring the crate to you.

[Hallry]

Umm, you want me to give up 1/4 of my pit while still competing?

Don't fret, you won't have time to worry about that, instead you'll be worrying about how you and 768 other people (plus drive team members) are going to have room to make temporary pits on the Dome floor on Saturday morning.

Pit Crew Badges (Alliance Pairings): During the playoff rounds, extra team members are often needed to move the team robot from the pit station to the queuing area and playing field. Each Alliance Team can have three (3) additional “Pit Crew” members to help with necessary robot repairs and maintenance. These badges provide access to the field. FIRST distributes the badges to Alliance Captains during the pairing selection process on the division fields. All teams should assume they could be chosen for an alliance. Each Alliance Captain must set a logistics plan for badge distribution prior to the pairings to distribute the badges to the Pit Crew members. Only one (1) adult mentor is permitted on this crew.

[Caleb Sykes]

It seems to me that FIRST is just making the logistics more difficult for many teams by forcing them to use these crates. What is the advantage provided by forcing every team to crate their robot instead of allowing the option to use the bag and tag system?

[MrForbes]

Umm, you want me to give up 1/4 of my pit while still competing?

Probably over half of the teams will be packing up Saturday morning, so the odds are good that a pit near you will be mostly empty, and you can probably figure out something to do to have the necessary room in your pit. But since you'll be in the Dome with your robot anyways, it probably won't make a lot of difference if there's a crate in your pit, and you're still competing. I think we'll figure out how to deal with it.

[marshall]

If you look at the pit map here: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/blog-2015-frc-championship-updates you'll see crate storage is going to be packed like sardines. I think it's a crate idea, but logistically it's probably better to bring the crate to you.

Fair point. Was a decent thought though...

[Bruceb]

wonder how to notify them that we are taking the crate and robot with us so I would rather just stick the crate in my truck Saturday morning.
Yes, I have the appropriate waiver.

[Bryan Herbst]

wonder how to notify them that we are taking the crate and robot with us so I would rather just stick the crate in my truck Saturday morning.
Yes, I have the appropriate waiver.

My team was able to get permission to remove crate from the venue ourselves on Wednesday when we de-crate the robot. If your truck is available then, I recommend doing the same.

[Nemo]

It seems to me that FIRST is just making the logistics more difficult for many teams by forcing them to use these crates. What is the advantage provided by forcing every team to crate their robot instead of allowing the option to use the bag and tag system?

Agreed. Reducing the number of crates would have several benefits without any big drawbacks that I can think of.

[Bruceb]

sounds perfect. hope shepard express will make that easy.
Thanks

[Tungrus]

sounds perfect. hope shepard express will make that easy.
Thanks

The robot movement to and from practice field to pits is on left hand side of the hallway, like Brits driving. Hope they change it to right hand side, otherwise we will bump into others!

[Bob Steele]

Please also note that the pits close on Saturday at 2:30 pm. I must assume that means that you have to have everything out of your pit and your robot crated by that time if you are not involved with Einstein.

Quite a bit different than years past.

[FrankJ]

Please also note that the pits close on Saturday at 2:30 pm. I must assume that means that you have to have everything out of your pit and your robot crated by that time if you are not involved with Einstein.

Quite a bit different than years past.

I think that is wishful thinking on their part. They might be able to close it except for people actually involved in packing.

[Joe Ross]

Please also note that the pits close on Saturday at 2:30 pm.

It says pits closed to public on both the FRC schedule and spectator schedule.

[Meredith Novak]

My team was able to get permission to remove crate from the venue ourselves on Wednesday when we de-crate the robot. If your truck is available then, I recommend doing the same.

I just sent an email to frcteams to ask permission for 16 to do this as we also have permission to take our robot home. I didn't see this before, so thanks for the info.