Chief Delphi - Launcher Safety Ideas

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- - Launcher Safety Ideas (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62424)

Re: Launcher Safety Ideas

Team Update #5 also covers this issue in some detail.

Re: Launcher Safety Ideas

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz (Post 685508)

Jim,
It is usually a simple matter of knowing how the solenoid reacts at power on and making that default position be the "parked" position for actuators. Many times, teams do not take the time to distiguish that. If the action does not cause a robot part to extend out of the sizing box no change is made in the design process. Parts should not move until enabled.

To add to this: Please only use only single solenoid values on your firing mechanism, which default to "not fire". Double solenoid values stay in their last position, which may not be visually apparent when there is no pressure.

Also, use a momentary push button to launch instead of a several state switch. To reiterate what Jason said some sort of ball sensor should be part of the firing sequence.

Those are my suggestions, here are my concerns:

Please design your robot so that its firing mechanism is not loaded in the Starting Configuration, since the robot must be sized in this configuration without additional restraints. Sliding the robot into the sizing box and using the magic sizing wand on a loaded robot could set it off :ahh: and that is not safe. There will be plenty of time between match start and first hurdle to load you mechanism (the whole 15 sec hybrid mode for instance).

Finally, this is a high speed collision game, so consider 20fps collisions as "normal operating conditions"

Re: Launcher Safety Ideas

Ah, all well and good. But here's what really concerns me (and if there is already an active thread on this please point me to it)...
This whole IR board thing and what we are allowed to do with it. I personally will be very afraid in the pits if anyone near me is using the same IR channel and accidentally sets off something on my robot or a robot near me.
The IR board is outside the limits of the tether and in my mind that poses a huge safety issue in the pits.

Any other thoughts? or am I just paranoid?

--Mark:confused:

Re: Launcher Safety Ideas

One of my main concerns with launchers is the possiblilty of launching a ball onto another bot. My teams bot should be robust enough to withstand an impact but some bots won't.

Re: Launcher Safety Ideas

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcflyer620 (Post 686255)

I too am concerned about this. There are some ways to avoid it, including:

Robot OFF when in the pits, unless you are testing.
Robot DISABLED when on, unless you are actually on the field or doing something with it.
Make something that can cover your IR board and shield it while in the pits, unless you need to test it. FLL teams have been encouraged to do this for a while now; a common trick is to line a box with aluminum foil.
Warn surrounding teams that you are testing. This gives them time to avoid issues or warn you that there may be an issue.