Al's Annual Inspection Thread 2013
 

Everyone,
I am starting this a little early this year to remind everyone of a few things during this final week of build.
1. The Inspection Checklist was released last week. Please use it to check over your robot prior to bagging next Tuesday.
2. There are significantly more motor choices this year, however, that list is not unlimited. There are specific quantities of each motor that can be used on your robot. The motor list is separate from the Inspection Checklist since it so long.
3. This year bumpers do not need to be bagged so don't worry how you are going to fit them in the bag. You can, of course, add them to your robot and include them in the bag. They will not count against your 30 lb allowance if you choose to keep them separate.
4. Don't forget you need to include belay points on your robot. There are no exceptions.

Enjoy your last week of build. I will add to this list after stop build. I hope the teams in the northeast have dug out of the heavy snow and everyone is safe and secure. Good luck all.

Re: Al's Annual Inspection Thread 2013
 

Thanks for doing this thread every year, Al. Inspection is an important part of the events, but it does not need to take a lot of time if teams prepare well. Less time with your robot inspector means more time for other kinds of fun, like practice for your drive team.

Thanks also for the special mention of motors. :D My favorite topic!

The list of legal motors for 2013 (see <R32>) is very long, but there are some old friends missing -- for example, the FP motors from previous seasons are not legal any more. It will speed up inspection if teams can either (1) install motors so their markings are visible to be checked against the legal motor list, or (2) when that is not feasible, mark the motor's part number nearby or have a list handy to show the inspector which motors are used.

Re: Al's Annual Inspection Thread 2013
 

Here is the link to the Inspection Checklist, it's also linked on the Competition Manual page on the FIRST web site

http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default...nChecklist.pdf

Re: Al's Annual Inspection Thread 2013
 

There a few things you can do before you get to Bag and Tag and have to deal with the inspectors :D

1) Remember ONE wire per Wago.
2) Sharp edges. Remove them. I don't like to see blood, especially my own :ahh:
3) Make sure your 120 Amp breaker (that switch that turns your robot on/off) should be easily accessible. I ask the teams what would happen if your robot started smoking and nobody could reach the switch to turn your robot off? Weiney roast.
4) Review the wire color coding and size.
5) If you are using a camera, make sure it is isolated from the frame. To check, get a multimeter/ohmmeter and check for continuity from the frame to the PD battery post. It should read over 10k Ohms.

Re: Al's Annual Inspection Thread 2013
 

All teams should be familiar with Bag and Tag now, but there are still teams every year that don't have their form easily available when they get to the venue - get a plastic sheet protector and tape it to your bag, then put the form in there!

My list of items every team should check now, while they still have time to fix them:

- Check that the FRAME PERIMETER is <= 112”
This does NOT include minor protrusions like bolt heads.

- Check the starting configuration
Everything on the robot must be within the vertical projection of the FRAME PERIMETER
This can be checked by pushing the robot against the wall

- Check that the weight of the robot is <= 120 lbs, and the weight of the bumpers is <= 20 lbs.

- Check that all motors are on the legal motor list
Make sure there are no Fisher Price motors, and compare all motors to Table 4-1.

- Perform a basic check of the electrical system
Use a multimeter to ensure the chassis is electrically isolated.
Check for appropriate wire gauge sizes

- Perform a basic check on any pneumatic systems
Ensure proper stored and working pressure
Check the system against the minimum system shown in R79

- Ensure the robot has appropriate belaying points (required for every team)
These can be eyelets with a ¾” opening or exposed structural members
If you doubt the robot can be supported by these points, have the team lift it
Be extremely strict about sharp edges near the belaying point
Suggest wrapping edges of the belaying point in duct tape, if frame is used

- Check that the battery is secure
Think about what would happen to the battery if the robot was upside down

Re: Al's Annual Inspection Thread 2013
 

Any advice for a first time robot inspector? I would be particularly interested in any threads or documentation that has more examples on what is and is not legal for bumpers this year. i am not sure I know what is really acceptable for a corner climbing robot.

Re: Al's Annual Inspection Thread 2013
 

Wow! Absolutely nothing in there about safety shields for high speed rotating equipment.

Given the number of shooters that will be running wheels at several times their design speed, I really expected something about "high speed rotating mechanisms are shielded to reduce the likelihood of injury during testing or in the case of failure of a rotating component".

I mean R08 covers the general concept:

But I was hoping for something more specific, so that all teams would know, in advance, that exposed shooter wheels likely "cause an unsafe condition".

Jason

Re: Al's Annual Inspection Thread 2013
 

And my favorite... check for sharp edges and burrs and file them down or tape them up so they don't cut anyone.

A colleague of mine would tell me he'd always have the kids wash and polish their drag car (inside and out, including the engine) before going to a race. It always helped with tech inspection because first of all it meant that the kids had been over the car and had looked at all the little things, but it also meant that when the inspectors walked up to the car they had a positive impression that care, attention and professionalism had gone into the details.

Teams that take care of the little things often have much less trouble with the big things!

Jason

Re: Al's Annual Inspection Thread 2013
 

t,
Anyone of us can ask specific questions but to list everything we have seen over the years would close CD down. Teams are very creative...

Re: Al's Annual Inspection Thread 2013
 

After taking a brief look over the form, I'd like to point out that Kickoff was January 5th, 2013.

Re: Al's Annual Inspection Thread 2013
 

Oh yeah? Prove it! :p

Re: Al's Annual Inspection Thread 2013
 

Please ask yourself..."If my robot is on fire and the pneumatics are randomly activating, is my main breaker someplace that I want to put MY hand?" (same question for your manual air release). If your answer is "no" then probably everyone else thinks the same.

Re: Al's Annual Inspection Thread 2013
 

Make sure your battery has a secure mount, wouldn't want it to fall off while (whilst?) 30pt climbing. Keep your electrical systems organized and labeled efficiently. The less time it takes inspectors to go through your robot, the better their impression of your team (and the less things they find wrong :D .) And don't forget to be kind and friendly, there is a lot of stress during inspection and it makes things simpler for both sides.

Re: Al's Annual Inspection Thread 2013
 

What do you mean absolutely nothing about safety shields? ^ there it is :D

Remember that the Robot Inspectors are your friends and are there to help you. If we find something wrong, with your robot, don't take in personnal.

Re: Al's Annual Inspection Thread 2013
 

Well,
Now that everyone has bagged their robot using the official FRC bag and secure seal tag, you are good to go right? Not quite yet.
One of the biggest issues for inspectors every year with B&T is having teams produce the B&T forms. You should have filled this item out when you bagged the robot on Tuesday. Now is the time to make copies and insure that the original goes to someone who will be moving with the robot to competition. On a number of occasions, we have had teams with the form in the hands of a teacher who didn't travel with the team or the team captain who got the flu just before the competition. If you want to maximize your time on practice day, be sure to have the form handy when you arrive.

This year, the new rules will confuse some people. At this time, all robots must have two belay points on their chassis. It doesn't matter if you can't climb or intend to climb or even wish to climb, you must have them on the robot to pass inspection.

While there are a lot of motors on the allowed list this year, some past motors are no longer legal. Now is the time to check if your motors are on the allowed list and be prepared to change them at competition if they are not. Notably, the Globe motor and Fisher Price motors are no longer legal. The motors must be identifiable so no painting or other than allowed modifications are legal.

Bumpers...Every year this is a problem. We have gone to great lengths to simplify this. Bumpers must cover 8" of frame on either side of any exterior corner. Bumpers can be built after stop build, they do not count towards the 30lb allowance of parts to be carried in at competition.

First has tried to think of everything you might come up with in design and planned for that. However, you are really good and sometimes there are things that we didn't think of. The Q&A is your friend. If you thought of something, I bet someone else did too and already asked the question. If it was of some great importance, FRC also added it to a Team Update. Now is the time to check through both of these resources. Inspectors will have up to date lists of items that affect your robot construction. Each week they will be inspecting for these items. If needed, a revised inspection checklist (also available on the First website) will be issued.

That is all for this installment. Good Luck everyone.