Bumper Regulations
 

Hello,

I am currently making reversible bumpers for my teams robot that will enable us to change the color of our robot without removing the bumpers from our robot. As I was doing so I came across a problem, I was wondering if the bumper regulations prohibit any color from showing on the bumper other than the color of our alliance (red or blue). I want to put black fabric on the edges of my bumpers so that the pool noodles will stay covered, and we can switch the color of the bumpers without changing them. Am I allowed to put black fabric on the edges of the bumpers to cover the pool noodles, as long as the color of the bumpers is predominantly red or blue according to our colored alliance. Do the bumpers need to be one solid color, or as long as the bumper is clearly showing red or blue is it okay?

Team 3196 (Team Spork)

Re: Bumper Regulations
 

emphasis mine.

I think this would prohibit black on the ends of the bumpers. I strongly recommend designing your reversible covers to include the ends as well - I've seen it done this way many times.

Re: Bumper Regulations
 

My interpretation is one solid color, no black showing. "predominantly" isn't good enough.

Then again my interpretation is worthless at any competition...

Re: Bumper Regulations
 

I believe that intentionally visible black fabric on bumpers does not comply with the bumper rules. My interpretation does count, at least at Championship, where I will be a Robot Inspector. However, my opinion is not the final word, as typical inspectors can be overruled by a Lead Robot Inspector (who can theoretically be overruled in turn by the Chief Robot Inspector).

Re: Bumper Regulations
 

Thank you very much! We have decided to sow them at their ends instead of applying the black fabric.

Team 3196

Re: Bumper Regulations
 

Hi everyone, i have a similar problem, with stray marks on the edges of bumpers. our team used reversible fabric to construct our bumpers, and there are small sections of the wrong colored fabric on the edges. I put some pictures in this post for clarification.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7V...it?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7V...it?usp=sharing

Re: Bumper Regulations
 

That's showing a lot of the wrong bumper color there. I wouldn't want a robot looking like that to be allowed on the field. The solution is simple, but it requires some sewing that's a little more involved than connecting two colors of fabric along a simple line.

Re: Bumper Regulations
 

I agree with Alan on this... that's a rather large amount of the wrong color showing. I would strongly recommend fixing it to cover up the area on the ends of the bumpers with the correct color.

Re: Bumper Regulations
 

Our team has that same problem we just get duct tape of the right color and attach it to the ends. It serves 2 purposes, 1) Covers up the wrong color and 2) It acts as an attachment point to make it so that the flaps stay up or down.

Re: Bumper Regulations
 

As others have said. that is an awful lot of the wrong color showing. I would put it in the category of a "may pass" with some LRIs (Lead Robot Inspector), but would not pass with many. I would expect my inspectors to not pass this and ask for the Lead Robot Inspector for a ruling. Not a comfortable area to be in.
Also, the "tape solution" posted above is considered a "temporary" repair per the latest Q&A. Again, some LRIs might be OK with this, but many will not. Thank you for posting this. I would highly recommend cleaning up these details now to ensure you will have less frustration at your events.

Re: Bumper Regulations
 

Good, because if this shows up on my field as a head ref, I'm sending it back to you asking, "Did you pass this?"

Ultimately it's the lead inspector's call which I will accept. But I don't like seeing something with that much "wrong" color showing.

Re: Bumper Regulations
 

In addition to IKE's "this isn't a temporary fix" and is therefore probably against the rules, duct tape definitely isn't allowed. Maybe you could get by on gaffer's tape, but I don't think I'd pass that either. I'd be asking my LRI, but I don't think it should pass.

Re: Bumper Regulations
 

Last year when in Maine I was told by the inspector that duct tape is not allowed but there is nothing in the rules about using safety pins. So if in a bind use safety pins to attach fabric to your bumpers.
Our team has reversals bumpers and when done correctly you won't see any of the wrong color. Just look at the way the material folds to cover the ends you can figure it out. Make a sample bumper then take it apart and use it as a pattern. When you get it right save the pattern for next year.

Re: Bumper Regulations
 

Whitepaper from K-botics gives details about how to make a corner seam that allows you to cover the ends of the bumper.

Easier still is to miter the ends of the bumpers so that there are no ends showing. Robopromo has some really nice videos posted of how to make reversibles with the mitered approach.

Re: Bumper Regulations
 

Thanks for the help everyone. Our team has gone ahead and rigged up a solution, which I can post pictures of if anyone thinks they would be helpful. It was a simple fix, and should work fine for any reversible bumper construction.