Chief Delphi - legality of bolt and screw heads breaking plane of chassis meeting bumpers

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Re: legality of bolt and screw heads breaking plane of chassis meeting bumpers

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dick Linn (Post 931098)

Somehow, I prefer the days of battle scars to the bumpers of today.

I like to imagine my robot with mensur schlager scars.

Re: legality of bolt and screw heads breaking plane of chassis meeting bumpers

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pausert (Post 931112)

I like to imagine my robot with mensur schlager scars.

Flashes to a darkened shop, late at night, candles burning and the sound of swishing blades in the air...

Re: legality of bolt and screw heads breaking plane of chassis meeting bumpers

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vikesrock (Post 930384)

Thanks for posting that Eugene, I had managed to skip over or miss that one.

I'm going to guess that at least 50% of robots and potentially many, many more will not be in compliance with that response when they come out of the crate.

I hope the inspectors show some common sense and let small gaps (less than 1/8"), due to slight warping of the plywood or parts of the frame that aren't perfectly square, pass.

I may be heavily arguing for a piece of foam as a frame member if inspectors don't take it into their hands to be reasonable with this one.

Kevin,

It is not an issue of being sensible. As an engineer, I abhor specifications without tolerances. As an event volunteer, I must do as I am told.

Robot inspectors, referees and other key event personnel do not have the ability to post to the official Q&A. Only the teams can do this.

The official Q&A is, in my opinion, a perfect republican governance. The teams paid good money to compete. Only they can question the authority via the official Q&A.

If you wait until the event to try and complain to the inspectors about the non-sensibility of a rule (or the GDC's interpretation) you are virtually guaranteed to lose the argument.

I hope this makes clear the path that you and other teams must take to insure that you have no problems at robot inspection.

Regards,

Mike

Re: legality of bolt and screw heads breaking plane of chassis meeting bumpers

Mike,

I definitely do not envy the role of inspectors this year, especially after doing "preliminary inspections" at a pre-ship event. I fully understand the role/position the inspectors are put in, and arguing the sensibility of a rule that the inspector neither made nor has the authority to change is a waste of my time and theirs.

I plan to post a Q&A to see if teams can get a clarification on the tolerance of the full width support, but I am not particularly hopeful for a clear, unambiguous answer.

We will be ready to make that tiny gap disappear if necessary to pass inspection on Thursday, and we certainly won't be complaining to the inspectors who donate their time to help us compete if we are required to do so.

Re: legality of bolt and screw heads breaking plane of chassis meeting bumpers

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vikesrock (Post 933127)

Kevin,

If more teams posted to the Q&A about rules which are silly, contradictory, wrong and/or not in the best interests of the teams, I would imagine that all of our lives will get easier come competition time.

Best of luck to you and your team...

Mike