Robot Side Minimum Length?
 

I was reviewing the rules and I noticed two diagrams (figures 4-5 and 4-6 in http://frc-manual.usfirst.org/viewItem/3#). These diagrams state that, "If a side is shorter than 8 in., the entire side must be protected by BUMPER (see Figure 4-6). For the purposes of R19, a round or circular FRAME PERIMETER has an infinite number of corners." Does this mean that there is no longer a minimum side length?

Re: Robot Side Minimum Length?
 

There wasn't last year either after a few updates. That's the rule as it was come regionals last year. So, no, there is no minimum length of a side.

Re: Robot Side Minimum Length?
 

Well, in a sense, there is no longer a minimum side length. However, if you do decide to pursue that, then your entire robot perimeter will have bumper around it and you're going to have a rather small robot I assume, or one with many vertices.

Re: Robot Side Minimum Length?
 

Ok, thank you. In addition, our robot currently has an open side, and the frame on either side of this opening is 6 inches. Does the 8in bumper rule on either side of a corner mean that we need to have 2 inches of bumper going into the gap, or will it be legal to have only 6 inches of bumper from the corner?

Re: Robot Side Minimum Length?
 

If you have an open side, then I would think that the figures in R19, Figure 4-5 in particular, make it clear that there has to be at least 8" of coverage by bumper, meaning that you'd have to lengthen the side to be 8" (R21 F prohibits you just extending the bumper.)

Re: Robot Side Minimum Length?
 

You may not have bumpers over hang the frame by more than one inch, Per R21 and Fig 4-7. Cal and Kevin have answered correctly on the remainder of your questions.