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Re: Inspection Stories
We were at a Regional event several years back in the first year that there was a "size limit" on the operator interface. I believe that the dimensions included a width of 12" for the interface. Our inspector measured ours at 1/8 of an inch over and would not pass us. (Students had designed the interface and had forgotten that when you have a 12 inch plate size and you attach 1/16" pieces on the outside of it, you don't get 12")
The only issue I had (having inspected for a number of years myself...) was that the inspector just stood and looked at us as if we could somehow shrink our fabricated, riveted interface while he watched. I know what I would have done as an inspector and that was talk to the LRI and ask the team to fix it for the next regional.
I talked about it with the team and I decided that we did not have the ability to remake the interface at the event. I went back to the inspector and told him that we would not be able to compete at the event.
in a short time, the inspector came over and told us that we just needed to fix it before the next event.
It consistently amazes me that some teams are treated differently than others. Younger teams get on the field with lots of violations.... and as long as they don't give a competitive advantage, that's fine with me.
Last year we were dinged for using a "Medieval Style numbering on our bumpers... the maker of the numbers had "cleared" the style... or so we were told.... they were ironed on....
This time we were allowed to compete...(it seems that all of the strokes in the numbers were not 1/2" thick.... in the eyes of the inspector)
We had to completely remake two sets of bumpers... at a cost of about $150 in materials and 2 hours of time.
When we attended the district championship, there were 2 robots with the same medieval numbers....at St. Louis, I counted at least 6 teams using them.
Sometimes it doesn't help to be a higher profile team.
I respect the inspectors and know they get tired and they are really trying.
I inspect myself.... both at district events and at CMP...
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