Velcro on rope?
 

Can we put velcro on our rope? We plan on using a ratchet strap for our rope. Can we put velcro on it in order to aid climbing?

Re: Velcro on rope?
 

Are you saying you want the velcro from your robot to attach to the rope, or you want velcro to be a part of your rope?

I would hazard a guess and say yes to the former, and no to the latter. I would not consider velcro to be "twisted, tied, woven, or braided together," as I04 mandates.

Re: Velcro on rope?
 

^ agree.
I'd just try using the strap alone and see how it works. If it slips, try a grippier rope.

Re: Velcro on rope?
 

One of the robot in 3 days used velcro to make the climbing process much easier. However, I think they will adjust the rules to prevent people from doing something like this. I would be wary about using velcro on your rope.

Re: Velcro on rope?
 

I believe OP is talking about this: https://youtu.be/m7RNTi1HI3Y?t=259

I was wondering this as well. Basically RI3D 1.0 interpreted the following rule in a pretty optimistic way:

Rope must "consist entirely of flexible, non-metallic fibers twisted, tied, woven, or braided together except for the last 4 in. (~10 cm) of each end which may be whipped, fused, covered in heat shrink or tape, or dipped in a coating material to prevent fraying."

Velcro isn't "heat shrink or tape" nor is it a "coating material to prevent fraying". That kinda makes me think that it's not legal.

That being said, there's a perfectly decent chance that it COULD be legal. It's just really not very clear imo.

Re: Velcro on rope?
 

Oh wow I had just watched that video prior to posting. Skimming through it, I didn't realize they used velcro /as/ their rope. I was under the impression that they were using some kind of nylon cord that attached to velcro well.

Re: Velcro on rope?
 

The loop portion of Velcro sure looks woven to me. It's non-metallic, fibrous, and flexible. I'll wait for the q&a ruling before we go all-in on the design but it currently looks pretty viable.

Re: Velcro on rope?
 

Even the velcro website says that they are woven....Legal in my mind.

http://www.velcro.com/business/produ...-hook-and-loop

Re: Velcro on rope?
 

It looks ridiculously viable. So much so, I'm having trouble thinking any other method is better.

That said, if they rule the loop side of velcro doesn't work, can we just use really fuzzy rope ? :)

Re: Velcro on rope?
 

I've been wondering the same thing. I don't believe its legal to attach the Velcro to the rope, but may be legal to use Velcro as the rope.

Re: Velcro on rope?
 

Hanging off the side of the bridge looked viable until it was said otherwise I do see this being made against the rules or for FIRST to do it program wide on the rope provided

Re: Velcro on rope?
 

I'm not sure I understand what you're saying, but you cannot use the side of the airship (which I assume is what you meant by the "bridge") to climb. G15 makes that clear.

Re: Velcro on rope?
 

In 2012, 118 at their first regional unveiled a mechanism that grappled onto the side of a bridge and lifted their robot up while grappling it to ensure a much simpler 3 robot balance since their robot didn't take up any space on the platform. It was very quickly deemed illegal. I believe that is what the reference is to.

Re: Velcro on rope?
 

IIRC, that wasn't ruled illegal as much as it was ruled unsafe.

Re: Velcro on rope?
 

Yes that is what I meant with the growth of newer teams I think I meant have to start referencing things