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Unread 14-08-2014, 13:20
jwfoss jwfoss is offline
Chasing Elegant Simplicity
AKA: Justin Foss
FRC #0558 (Elm City Robo Squad)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Rookie Year: 2003
Location: New Haven, CT
Posts: 592
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Re: Pneumatic Restrictions & Improvments

Quote:
Originally Posted by Karthik View Post
This seems like a good compromise. If FRC could do some testing and give us a list of certified safe air tanks, teams would have plenty of notice and an unambiguous set of guidelines to work with.

As for general limits on the volume of storage, I would hope we wouldn't see those return. Prior to 2011, those volume limitations made it very difficult to use pneumatics without having an on-board compressor. With the weight and battery issues caused by a compressor, teams often skipped pneumatics entirely, with the exception of their shifters. Once the limits were removed we saw a huge increase in the usage of pneumatics, coupled with many unique designs which were previous infeasible or very difficult (254's jaw in 2011, 2056's shooter in 2013). There's been a definite evolution in design as a result of these more relaxed rules, and I'd hate to see us take a step backwards in terms of the functionality of robots.
I couldn't agree more about with respect to the evolution of design that the current state of the rules has allowed.

When it comes to limiting the allowable tanks, I see this as limiting a teams ability to research alternative storage tanks. There are a number of suppliers out there as well as custom options that would be more then acceptable under the current rules. As always, size and weight are a trade off in design. FRC558 has been looking into alternative tanks in the offseason, one potential source is the automotive aftermarket, since air suspension is a popular modification in the car world. I wish that there was a direct supply for an old KOP air tank, I believe we only received them in 2011 (Shown on pg. 11). There is always the old KOP tanks from Clippard.
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2003-2006 | FRC 0176 | Aces High - Student
2007-2010 | FRC 0229 | Division by Zero - Mentor in Training
2011-2013 | FRC 2168 | Aluminum Falcons - Mechanical Mentor
2013-20xx | FRC 0558 | Elm City Robo Squad - Mechanical Mentor