Re: 60 second set-up / pack-up time?
 

Because the rules specifically allow flow control valves and do not mention butterfly or ball valves.

It's like the difference between non-skid and grip tape a few years ago.

Re: 60 second set-up / pack-up time?
 

Bumping this reply because poster has a valid solution that seems to have been looked over

Re: 60 second set-up / pack-up time?
 

We have an alternative solution ready, should our LRI disagree with our assessment of the rules. We don't own any single-acting solenoids, and that's a rather expensive way to solve an issue compared to a flow limiter.

Re: 60 second set-up / pack-up time?
 

Fair enough, I can see not wanting to spend money on it if you didn't have one laying around. You could also use a double if you had one laying around and just plug up one side.

Re: 60 second set-up / pack-up time?
 

Another way to do this would be to use tubing to lead to the connector to the other part of the robot. Plug this connector while in transport configuration.

Using a clamp from your tool bag (not a part of the robot), clamp that piece of tubing, remove the plug, attach the other part of the robot, release the clamp, and put the clamp back in your tool bag.

At no time in this process was there any pressurized air that would not have been vented if the plug were opened. Of course, if you found a leak after you removed the clamp, you could have difficulties maintaining that state and still be pressurized at the start of the match.

Re: 60 second set-up / pack-up time?
 

I'm guessing that you need extra tubing to get to Transport Configuration.

When you are in Competition mode, can you make one or two loops of the excess tubing and secure it somewhere in the robot? A velcro strap would be quick.

Re: 60 second set-up / pack-up time?
 

Actually, delaying the start doesn't quite have "similar" results. But having a robot sitting on the field in the way because the head ref signaled for it to be disabled isn't going to help your scoring. (And no, you can't remove it from the field without the head ref's permission. Sorry.) No card given in the match start delay.

Re: 60 second set-up / pack-up time?
 

I am not saying definitively that it is one way or the other. Search CD you will find many cases of similar gray areas like this being ruled differently at different compitetions.
The andymark one has an reverse flow check vavle so it is self venting. A good argument for it being legal.
Personaly I like Jon's suggestion the best. A quick release fitting has the flow, designed for the job, & where he is LRI, will probably pass unless Q&A says otherwise. :]

Re: 60 second set-up / pack-up time?
 

And you know I'll be talking to you about how far behind we are. :)

I will also be watching the clock and logging the teams that abuse the setup window. Without the FTAs and refs being strict on this, the cycle times are going to be horrible. At the week zero in Itasca last week, the cycle times averaged 10.8 minutes (yes, I counted) and I heard that the cycle times in New Hampshire were on the order of 10 minutes.

We cannot do that next week, it's not acceptable to be running 3 hours behind at the end of the day.

Re: 60 second set-up / pack-up time?
 

At the PNW Auburn Mountainview district event, we were running 2 hours behind schedule and they changed the rules, having teams go in and out of transport config while off the field. No penalties were ever called for delay, and some of the top teams were always taking over 60 seconds.

They said this was changed at multiple events and something should be coming out in next Tuesday's update.

Re: 60 second set-up / pack-up time?
 

Hmmm... We made design decisions that limited robot capabilities because we thought we'd have to play by the rule... Top teams should be able to follow it... I would be upset if we were eliminated by a team that didn't follow it and received a "pass."

Assuming we all followed the rules I'm happy with the change. As a drive team member even though all we had to do to switch configs was tighten and loosen 2 bolts I still had my fears.

Good change Imo but I understand the frustration.

Re: 60 second set-up / pack-up time?
 

At MAR Mt Olive, There was a team that was always over 2:00, and at one time 2:26 for setup, after being warned. Their next match,, they were disabled. I'm not sure at what time allowance. Almost all teams were less than 1:00.. Yes, it does happen.

Re: 60 second set-up / pack-up time?
 

There were teams taking almost as long as 15 minutes to get their robot in the transport configuration in Toronto. That will not do.

Re: 60 second set-up / pack-up time?
 

Technically, they were told at 1:00 (in that mach after repeated warnings) that they were at maximum time for robot configuration. They stopped assembling, but because of the state their robot was in at that time, they chose not to turn it on. They were not disabled by officials--because they had in fact stopped and thus didn't G10--and would've been allowed to play had they chosen to turn it on. This was explained to them pre-match (by me).

Lesson Learned: After that match, including into elims, they were right around 1:00 for configuration. In fact, no actual G10 disables were imposed at Mount Olive.

The interpretation of G10 at this event was that, "as a guideline, ROBOTS should be configurable in fewer than sixty (60) seconds" means robots should be designed to move in and and of transport configuration in approximately 60 seconds each. ~1:10 was not punished, nor were one-off/occasional violations (not 'designs'), nor was taking more time to do what teams do every year, e.g. align for autonomous. As above, teams would be asked to stop assembling at 60 seconds or be disabled. This only happened once and came after repeated warnings and two visits from inspectors looking to help them get faster. Teams and RIs stopped all other over-timers before they reached this point.

Our typical ons and offs were 2 minutes, and we finished 76 matches 15 minutes early running 7 minute intervals.