Quote:
Originally Posted by NotInControl
I personally would like to see the rules more relaxed. I would rather the GDC do more of "I wonder what teams will come up with if we allow more of this..." rather than preventing what teams can create.
But playing devils advocate: Assuming the rule you described was implemented, how would one begin to regulate this rule? Drivetrain output power is determined by gear ratio, motor configuration, motor load, etc. All of these variables are engineering parameters that teams can choose based on their desires. To ensure robots are under the maximum power usage, the inspectors would need to measure or calculate power draw while the robot was under some worst case driving load to show it never pulls x much power. Is this even possible in the pits? Wouldn't this also mean that you would need a fully functioning/driving robot before you were able to pass inspection? Furthermore, unless the inspectors had their own current or power meters that they could connect to your robot while you were doing this demo, you would also be forcing every team to use the CAN interface. The inability to regulate this rule, my just be a reason why it can not be a rule.
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Without getting into the big long analysis of how to (prevent) trip the main breaker, I wanted to address this from an inspection perspective. For at least the past few years, FIRST has provided a
Motor Performance Data Sheet which contains information on most of the motors we're allowed to use, and probably all of the motors we're allowed that you would want providing locomotive power in your drive train.
Why should we measure output power when we can measure max motor power instead? Sum up the max power for each motor on the drive train and you're done. That leaves us with a practical upper limit on speed and power output in a drive train without getting into all of the specifics you mention. Further, with appropriate limits we can pass most teams without question quickly and easily. "4 CIMs on the drive train (like 75%+ of all teams)? You're good to go!" "4 CIMs, 2 mini-CIMs, and 2 775s? We'll have to do the math on that one..." And the best part... it doesn't require any special skills or knowledge from the inspectors in determining if it's legal - just some basic addition.