Bumper Question
 

I've been through the rulebook. First year the kids want to try something new with the bumpers.

We have eight inch boards as prescribed for the corners all the way around. Plywood backing, pool noodles, etc. They want to attach these to another piece of plywood that will meet up with short bolts coming through the chassis and frame perimeter. Securing the bumpers to the frame by this secondary backing and wing nuts.


So...

=====|====|====== <-frame perimeter
---------|-------|--------- <- plywood piece bumpers attached to.
----- ^ ^ ----- <- plywood bumper backing
**** **** <- pool noodles

^ = wing nuts

| = bolts

Make sense? Sorry for no pictures. Enjoy the asci art.

Re: Bumper Question
 

Does the first plywood layer fall inside the frame? If not then that plywood layer will be treated as the frame perimeter.

Also how thick is each layer?

Re: Bumper Question
 

The "plywood piece bumpers attached to" define your FRAME PERIMETER. Just make sure it is less than 112" and you might be OK. The "plywood" needs to be part of the ROBOT, not the BUMPERS.

Re: Bumper Question
 

Agreed, the extra plywood is just part of your robot, and the 'wrap a string around the bot' method with that plywood in place defines your frame perimeter-- If that plywood isnt' going all the way around, then your perimeter polygon might be less than ideal.

Secondly, the statement "We have eight inch boards" makes me wonder if you are overlapping these actual bumper boards at the corner or do as most teams do, or do they only touch at one 5" edge. A 3/4" x 5" contact area vs. a 5" 'line' contact If the former, then one board would be 8 3/4" while the other would be 8". 8" of *the frame* must be covered.