Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

We're talking about organizing our area this season and was wondering what kinds of materials you normally buy/have and how much it'd cost. E.G., Banner for your team/sponsors, PVC frames, robot carts that transform into an all-in-one workstation, etc. I'd just like to get an idea and maybe an estimate of what our team can get for what. Also, where you bought it and pictures or videos would help a lot!

Thanks in advanced,
David Thomas

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

You'd be surprised how much you can do with a toolbox, some old KOP bins, and a cart that has a capability to carry tools under it. Oh, yeah, power strips are good too, especially if you have multiple battery chargers. Throw in some cheap plastic shelving to help organize, and there you go. (OK, so it doesn't look all that good, but it works. Just keep everything reasonably out of the way.)

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

lol, That's a nice barebones way of doing it, and basically our setup last season sans shelving. We're actually budgeting a few bucks to do it this year, so we were looking for a couple of nice things to buy. Just had a Craftsman cart donated, so tools are squared away. Cosmetic items are welcome too.

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

Buy big ticket items that you know you'll need early so your team has time to get used to them.

After that, you might consider waiting until after ship date to focus on storage and cosmetic stuff. Since your home regional (Buckeye) is in Week 4, you might want to consider scouting one or two events in earlier weeks. Seeing the better organized pits at those events might give you some good ideas.

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

To add to Richard's suggestion - one of the things I've discovered at the events I've attended is how much teams love to talk about their pits. They love to show you what they've done to improve their area from the year before. They love to show you what they are working on that will be finished 'next' year. They love to talk about the organization of their tools, the accessibility of their batteries, special things they've done to the carts to make them efficient and productive. At many of the regionals, it is cold weather and teams have to manage their coats. It's fun to see what they've come up with in areas like that as well. Pits rock.

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

"Pits rock" lol, Nice summary. That's actually a very great idea, Richard. [btw, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!] I should have a car pretty soon, and I'll probably go crazy trying to find something to do to fill in the time after shipping. I'll check the regional schedules now and call off work...

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

not to but in but how do teams manage their coats at regionals? team 885 always just threw them under the table or left them with another member in the stands. (made for finding stuff under the table hard).

thanks.
Forest

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

For the most part, the best way to manage the coat situation is leaving them in the stabds with a few adults. A coat in the stands gives that much more room to move around in the pit.

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

On 25, we have a coat rack in our pits to help organize our pits. It has worked out really well for us the past two years.

Also, we use some simple plastic shelving to store everything on, in addition to a wooden work table. To display our sponsor's name, we have a little nameplate that attaches to the front of the table. As for banners and other decorations, we try to throw some of those up if we're up against a wall/bleachers/etc, but we don't really make that a priority.

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

If you will look at this picture http://www.kellrobotics.org/images/s...e/DSC_0026.JPG

you will see a rolling wire cart. It has front doors that fold down the sides when in use. The red tool box on the right is 2.5 feet wide. On the left side we have about 2.5 feet of open space that has a trash can.

We have added a retractable bar that extends 2.5 feet to the left that is the coat hanger bar.

This cart is 5 feet wide and 24 inches deep, and about 60 inches high. Make sure that you can transport it in your trailer. Most economy trailers do not have a door height large enough to accomodate it.

At the bottom of this page is our cart : http://www.globalindustrial.com/catalog/GQpg150.pdf

A lower cost version with out front doors is here on the bottom right: http://www.globalindustrial.com/catalog/GQpg151.pdf

We will maintain this setup in our shop and then just roll it to the site. Everyone knows where everything is.
Roll it in. Roll it out.
And you can secure it.

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

Here's team 696's pit in 2006. The materials to support and comprise the large banner in the back cost about $100, and the shelving towers cost about $40-$50 each from Home Depot. The banner has a PVC support structure that can stand without the shelves. Also, we used PVC pipes to tie together the tops of the shelves so they couldn't topple over if someone bumped into them.

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

Here is team 45's pit from 2006.

This thing folds up into a rolling structure that is about 4 ft. wide x 10 ft. long x 5 ft. tall. It takes about 5 minutes to set up. We bring it to the events with our trailer, along with a large tool box and totes.

When set up, it is just under 10 feet tall.

The material we used to create this is Creform, which are thin-walled steel pipes with plastic coating. Creform has fastening hardware, tubes, and accessories available to do much more than what we have done.

One regret in making this canopy is that it is too wide when folded up. It really needed to be within 32 inches wide so it can fit through a door.

Looking at McMaster-Carr, I see that they classify this stuff as "Steel Clamp-On Structural Framing System".

If you are designing something similar to this, plan for it to be no bigger than 9.5 feet x 9.5 feet x 9.5 feet.

Andy B.

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

Creform is interesting stuff, Andy. It's technical specs for the standard 28mm pipe indicate 0.7mm (about 1/32") steel wall thickness and 520 g/m (about 0.35 lb/ft) weight. That should provide more than adequate strength. About how much does your pit structure weigh?

I'm guessing (after a quick review of the Creform site and of the McMaster-Carr page you cited) that your team didn't buy the material from McMaster. I base this on the standard pipe lengths that Creform lists, which are 2.5m, 3.0m, and 4.0m. The 3.0m length (~9'10") is just about right for the FRC pit height limit, while the standard McMaster-Carr pipe length is 8' -- a little short if you want to get your signage near the FRC height limit and provide headroom inside your pit.

Did you find a local source for Creform in metric lengths?

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

Our whole structure weighs about 40-50 lbs.

The Kokomo Delphi plant has an internal Creform shop with the purpose of making simple structures for assembly lines. There is a UAW skilled tradesman making Creform stuff full-time. We asked him 4-5 years ago to make a pit structure, and this is what he came up with. It was a donation from Delphi that the team still uses.

We hang stuff from the top, like spare parts and materials, along with the team signs. In 2006, at the Championships, we added a strut to one corner and a simple stand in order to hang our New Year's Eve Ball from one corner. It attracted alot of attention.

Andy B.

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

One thing that I see more and more teams doing is using their crate as part of their pit. We tried this last year and it worked out really well. We are redesigning it this year a bit, to fix some problems from last year. If you do this, you'll obviously have to invest more design time into your crate, and you'll want to make sure you use good materials so it will last you a while. Also, from personal experience, you'll probably want to make all the shelving removable and bring that with you separately, as it adds a significant amount of weight to your crate and could end up costing you money if you are overweight.

Last year's crate (see attached picture):
--3 shelves for storage
--1 fold out work table, with room underneath for tool chest
This year's crate:
--male 120V plug to plug into arena power
--2 outlet boxes to plug in chargers, tools, etc
--one fold out table (moved to left side, over the fixed crate base)
--one coat rack underneath fold out table
--3 shelves (one on right above table, 2 on left with room underneath for rolling tool chest)

Teams 237 and 610 both had really cool crate workstations last year, check them out if you can.

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

Thanks for that shout out Ryan!
I looked in the galleries of CD and I thought we uploaded a pic of our workstation/crate but I was apprently wrong.

When I get a chance I'll upload one. We actually won the Imagery award this past year @ the Hartford, CT regional highly in part to our modular workstation/crate design that we spent only about 2-3 months of weekly meetings in the off season & a couple weeks of labor during the build season building it.

Here's one pic of the start of one of the sides & a thread discussing it.
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=33732

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

The TechnoKats pit frame has proven useful for more than just competitions.

For the American Cancer Society Relay for Life this summer, it was fitted with homebuilt rear-projection screens on all four sides and converted into a gigantic display kiosk. It stood by the side of the Kokomo High School running track, near the start/finish line. During the luminaria ceremony at dusk, as the names of victims and survivors of cancer were read, the names were also scrolled on the screens. Afterwards, it showed a presentation of photos from previous years' Relay for Life events. For much of the rest of the night a countdown clock was displayed, giving the time left until the Relay was over.

Students have occasionally suggested having a video game party at the shop, projecting the screens on what's come to be called the "game cube" display.

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. Lots of nice clicky links to click and pics to study.

What we had last year was the provided table, our own power strip, a yellow toolbox, and crates with extra parts. Coats first went under the table, then later on we put it on the stands across the walkway. Very messing and disorganized.

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

I'm saving a thread and stuffing this imagery question here.

Frequently you will see the arena announcer with a "team flag" when introducing a team for competition.

Tell me more about this! Are they very popular? What is the correct size, etc?

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

Team flags are very popular. At most events I've attended there have been a dozen or more teams with flags.

A few years ago one of our team parents made us a flag. It's made of green silky stuff with silver logos sewn on both sides, and it is attached to a 5 ft. wooden pole. I think our flag's dimensions are about 3 ft x 5 ft, but I've seen other teams with larger ones -- some similar to the ones you see on the sidelines at football games, being handled by fast running cheerleaders.

FRC emcees seem to prefer the smaller size because it can be managed with one hand, and quickly swapped out during introductions when several teams have flags.

At most events there is a volunteer who will accept flags from teams as they go onto the field, and then return them while robots are being carried away. Usually it is the human player's job to find out who that volunteer is. Don't forget to collect your team's flag after your match is over!

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

Dave,
Remember that many teams with elaborate pits have built them over several years. The nicest I have seen all have low numbers with teams like 45, 66, and 93 being some that standout in my mind. However, the Martians have an exceptional pit too, well stocked and very workable. But don't be fooled by fancy stuff either.
Concentrate on work flow first. What do you need to work on the robot, minimum tool list, nice cart that transports the robot and provides a good work surface, storage and something that can hold up the tools while you work on replacement parts. I also have seen some teams that use the shipping container as a pit. When they remove the robot, it opens up to shelving and workspace and includes work lights and a bench.

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

I guess my bottom line is if we did a flag for the emcee what is the ideal size ?

It seems like 3x5 is popular and should be the max size considering all. A smaller flag is easier to handle but is harder to see from the stands.

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

Ed, I've sent your inquiry to a mentor for FRC 1902 who makes flags. She will have information regarding size and materials. If you don't hear from her in a day or two, let me know.
--
One of our parents made a smaller sized flag for the team 2 years ago. It works very well and can be seen easily from the stands. Our FIRST emcees are masters at using the flags and other things like hats, vests, capes to introduce the teams. One thing that I've noticed is that the emcees have to do this all day long and the larger flags are heavier and more cumbersome. The smaller flags do the same thing and seem much easier to handle and store.

Also, during the parade at the beginning of the Championship, it is always exciting to see the teams' flags, mascots, and other innovative ways they've created to brand themselves. One that stands out for me is the Chinese dragon. I love that thing!

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

Ed,
I am the 1902 mentor that makes flags and banners. I have been making flags for the local high school marching band for 6 years now. A normal size flag is usually 36 inches in height and about 52 inches long. For a flag that is going to be used on the field, I suggest using a poly-silk rather than house flag material. The poly-silk is much lighter in weight. If you want the flag to take some punishment though, house flag material is more durable. You can buy a polyester blend lining material at the fabric store, but your color options will be limited. The band orders all their material from thebandhall.com. Poly China silks run $2.50 per yard and come in lots of colors. If you have any more flag questions, need assistance in making a flag feel free to PM me.
Sarah

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

Caution with flags and such, check the height restrictions in the pits. They are limiting how high you can build in the pits.

Our team uses the ship box to make shelves from. When completed the shelves are 4 ft tall and 8 ft long. We use one sheet of plywood and 1 x 12’s for the sides and 1 x 6’s for the shelves, which are staked under the ship box for skids. We slot the 1 x12’s for the 1 x 6’s to go into. Drawings at http://team1322.org/other_tipps.htm

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

Sarah,
I'm thinking maybe the best way to go is to have the flag printed if we can allocate the money. Otherwise maybe the old fashioned way.

We are thinking something like this. Maybe sports will pitch in and buy some flags to help defray the setup costs.



Good point on the booth height. The top of our pit is at 9.5 feet, 1 half foot under the 10 foot limit, as seen in the 1st photo.

http://www.kellrobotics.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=68&Itemi d=1

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

Last year, our teams pit worked out well. We have some adjustable shelves toward the back of our pits, for storage, and compters. On the left side we have a board showing our sponsors. On the left side, we have a table, which we put our acrylic toolbokes on. We also have our battery charging station on the right side. I wish I had a picture of it because it really is cool. It is all clear, and can charge up to 6 batteries at once. We also have a touch screen which we use to turn on/off, check the voltage of batteries, and keep track of the amount each battery has been charging. In the middle of our pits, we have room for our robot, and a few people in case we need to make repairs. This method worked well for our team. Good luck coming up with your pit design.

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

After several years we have pretty much decided the crate is the best thing to use. We have it set up in our build area during the 6 weeks so everyone gets used to finding tools in it.
We outlaw backpacks and coats in the pit, although I like the coat rack ideas I have read about here.
PIH sponsored a aluminum 10 foot square framework made out of 45 mm extruded Al. It helps define our space and we hang a 10 foot (across) banner with our sponsors listed.
The only picture I have is during Thursday after we figured out out to work around a cement post that was in our 10 by 10 pit area...so we are still organizing the area.
In general we seem to bring more than we should, which forces us to put it somewhere. We may outlaw the bins this year in an effort to limit the 'extra' last minute stuff from coming in.

A well organized pit is well worth the effort, and if we ever get to the point where I call ours well organized I'll be happy

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

Alexa forgot the PVC tree that we try and bring to regionals (depending on if we are driving / can find a way to get it there) that we use to hang up the achievements closest to our hearts. It displays 4 or 6 banners.

Re: Coverings/Banners/Shelves [Team Pit Layouts]
 

Ed, be careful about pole material and length. I have seen a PVC flag pole break...on the field...while Mark Leon was introducing the teams. (He then assigned the team homework: do the math to find how much force it took to break the pole. They brought it to him just before their first match the next day.) PVC is usually a good choice, if it's not too long. Other materials may also work.