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Unread 26-01-2008, 12:13
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Re: Launcher Safety Ideas

Quote:
Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz View Post
Jim,
It is usually a simple matter of knowing how the solenoid reacts at power on and making that default position be the "parked" position for actuators. Many times, teams do not take the time to distiguish that. If the action does not cause a robot part to extend out of the sizing box no change is made in the design process. Parts should not move until enabled.
To add to this: Please only use only single solenoid values on your firing mechanism, which default to "not fire". Double solenoid values stay in their last position, which may not be visually apparent when there is no pressure.

Also, use a momentary push button to launch instead of a several state switch. To reiterate what Jason said some sort of ball sensor should be part of the firing sequence.

Those are my suggestions, here are my concerns:

Please design your robot so that its firing mechanism is not loaded in the Starting Configuration, since the robot must be sized in this configuration without additional restraints. Sliding the robot into the sizing box and using the magic sizing wand on a loaded robot could set it off and that is not safe. There will be plenty of time between match start and first hurdle to load you mechanism (the whole 15 sec hybrid mode for instance).

Finally, this is a high speed collision game, so consider 20fps collisions as "normal operating conditions"
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