[David Brinza]

Originally Posted by ALIBI

What if you were the inspector, what would you be looking for?

How secure is the spring attached to the robot?
How secure is the launching pad between the trackball and spring?
What has been done to protect against pinch points between the launcher and robot?

These are just a few of the questions I would have (not and inspector). What other ones could you ask.

Aside: Putting your robot on display (grade schools, sponsors etc) will be a riot if you can hurdle the trackball 7-8 feet in the air! The only problem will be getting that blasted 41" trackball through a standard door.

As an inspector, in addition to the intended function of the launcher, I would look for possible unintentional means of sudden release of this stored energy. Having a strong spring release accidentally while the robot is being carried on the field or in the pits can have very dire consequences. FIRST inspectors must decide whether your launcher is safe and that is a subjective judgment call. Expect to show the inspector how the spring can be inhibited from releasing accidentally (including failure of the firing restraint), how you can slowly/gradually release the energy in case you don't want it to fire and how the launcher responds when it fires without a ball.

You're probably not going to find a written, official checklist from FIRST, so you have to keep asking yourself what can go wrong and how can I avoid accidents as you design your launcher.