About the team numbers
 

I know they have to be four inches tall and three and a quarter inches wide, but can we use stencils, tape, paint anything we desire?
Merci,
-Vex

Re: About the team numbers
 

Yes, you can use anything so long as it can be seen 100 feet away. Well you cant use tape, as the only tape we are allowed to use is with the electronics.

Re: About the team numbers
 

That's what I thought too thanks :D

Re: About the team numbers
 

Actually, I think you can use tape. R14 does say you can't use tape other than electrical insulation, but I think if you are making a team number, it'd fall under the Non-Functional decoration rule (R-55-R60). Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Re: About the team numbers
 

You can get into arguments about 'it's there to meet a rule requirement, so its therefor functional', but I think that is not the intent of the rule. The intent is prevent using tape as a fastner.

I would think that using tape to make the team numbers would be fine. Make sure there is contrast. :)


Wetzel

Re: About the team numbers
 

I dont think anyone will stop you from using tape for your team numbers, but it would look kinda sloppy. Consider the fact that good looking or unique looking robots do stick in peoples minds, so it can be a powerful tool to get yourself to be picked as an alliance partner. Minor details once again can pay off.

Re: About the team numbers
 

It's kind of funny, they say electrical tape can only be used as an electrical insulator, but isn't it an electrical insulator regardless of if it is near electronics? I know I know, the spirit of the rule. I just thought if we were lawyers you could use it wherever you wanted since it keeps its electrical insulating properties no matter where it is.

Re: About the team numbers
 

Ok, last year, the rules clearly said #s had to be on 4 sides of the robot. I put it on our robot's left, right, and back side last year. The fourth side was the TOP. Well, the inspectors @ Chesapeake didn't like that so we had to oddly mount it on the front (which had a big gap in it for the stacker) with markers, paper, and tape ... Based on middle school geometry, I would consider TOP as a side :)

Re: About the team numbers
 

So no ones gets confused this year, the manual says:

"Teams must display their Team Numbers in four locations at approximately 90-degree intervals around the side of their robot."

So don't try to place the numbers on the top, bottom and two sides ... I'm pretty sure that won't work. :rolleyes:

Re: About the team numbers
 

I noticed in your original question that you said the numbers have to be 3 and a quarter inches wide. Actually the stroke has to be 3/4 inch wide.

Last year we had fancy, fire-rimmed letters, but the stroke wasn't wide enough (the flames didn't count) so we had to overlay the numbers with tape. It wasn't beautiful.