Quote:
Originally Posted by Karthik
I applaud everyone involved in this decision for pushing for changes to help ensure the safety of all participants. Considering the inherent risks of transporting a loaded stored energy device, in the interest of safety wouldn't the best solution be to not allow these devices to be transported in a loaded state at all? Especially considering the concerns expressed by some regarding the safety of actually applying the lockout device to a loaded stored energy device, it seems that the safest solution would be to transport your robot to the field while the device is not loaded, then tether up and load the device once on the field.
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There needs to be a sense of reasonableness about this. Sure, hauling the robot to the field in its lowest energy state would certainly be safer, but there are safe ways to move the robot in a high energy state. We have allowed pneumatic systems to be moved in a charged state for a number of years, and if the system is designed and built properly, there should be no danger. For instance, if the pneumatic system only has air stored in approved tanks, and this air is isolated from actuators with approved valves, everything should be OK, and there is no real need for interlocks. If, however, the air valves are in an open state so the stored air is being fed to actuators which are PHYSICALLY restrained from firing by some mechanical latch, then inspectors are going to look long and hard at that robot.
On the practical side, there is not enough setup time on the field to allow some robot designs to fully charge their air systems. Charging while in the queue line doesn't help since the most dangerous time, in my opinion, is between removing the robot from the cart and placing it on the field; here is where kids are in close contact with the robot. Likewise for some spring systems.
The compromise is to design the robot so it can't accidentally deploy while being moved.