Quote:
Originally Posted by engunneer
Hinges can be tricky, as far as inspection goes. in 2008, we used hinges to hold our smallest pieces on (WAY less than 8", back then it was legal), and it took some convincing that they were mounting hardware. It would have hurt to redesign the bumper mount in the pits.
I'd like to get inspector opinions on hinged bumpers. (To be absolutely clear, not Articulating bumpers, just bumpers connected together at the hinge to make them easier to fold around the robot.)
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The first thing to watch out for is whether those hinges may be counted as part of the bumper, part of the main robot itself, and/or a separate thing. (The rule refers to "any fasteners and/or structures that attach [bumpers] to the ROBOT".) The rules are ambiguous on this point, but I'd tend to give a team the benefit of the doubt if they interpreted the rule in either of the first two ways.
1 Confusingly, "removable fasteners" are explicitly part of the bumpers.
A related issue is whether the bumpers are part of the robot—this is complicated and annoying because of the different senses of the word robot, but once again, given the ambiguity, I'd give the team the benefit of any reasonable interpretation.
The current rules call for "a rigid fastening system to form a tight, robust connection to the main structure/frame [of the robot]". Many sets of hinges could satisfy this, installed correctly. It doesn't have to be a specific type of mounting hardware anymore (threaded fasteners were once specified).
With regard to bumper articulation, I interpret that as meaning that to pass inspection, and when on the field, articulation must be prevented. However, I reject the notion that bumper articulation (e.g. via hinges) during assembly of the robot is prohibited. (By definition, every robot is illegal when you're not finished installing the bumpers.)
1 If you rule it legal as part of the robot or bumper, it counts toward that assembly's weight and size. Inspectors often need latitude to rule it one or the other on a case-by-case basis, to avoid frame perimeter and bumper hard part surgery.