Rule# R88

[Baldwin Robotic]

R88
The pressure vent plug valve must be:

connected to the pneumatic circuit such that, when manually operated, it will vent to the atmosphere to relieve all stored pressure, and
placed on the ROBOT so that it is visible and easily accessible.

If the compressor is not used on the ROBOT, then an additional vent valve must be obtained and connected to the high-pressure portion of the pneumatic circuit off board the ROBOT with the compressor (see R80).

We want to run without a compressor. Just want verification on the additional vent valve. Would this pass inspection?

[DonRotolo]

The black handle vent valve should satisfy that requirement.

I am wondering why you have an additional valve between your tanks and your solenoid valve? I don't understand its purpose, and accidentally leaving it closed could be a problem during the match? Plus, I would have a problem with that at inspection, because if it was closed you would not be able to completely vent your entire pneumatic system.

[Mark McLeod]

Yea, I agree.
See if I've forgotten anything here...

On the robot-side:
The black handle dump valve would get another push-to-connect screw fitting giving your external feeder tubing a place to connect to.
The extra robot-side dump valve comes out altogether.

On the off-board compressor-side:
The external feeder tubing would T into the off-board compressor. On the other branch of the T would be the additional dump valve venting to the atmosphere.

To use it-

1. Connect the compressor feeder tubing to the robot's dump valve.
2. Open the robot's dump valve
3. Close the compressor-side dump valve
4. Hookup the compressor to the robot spike
5. Power up the robot & Enable from the Driver Station to start the compressor
6. Shutoff the robot when fully charged
7. Close the robot-side dump valve
8. Open the Compressor-side dump valve to the atmosphere
9. Disconnect the now unpressurized feeder tube from the robot

[Baldwin Robotic]

How do you run an off board compressor with the robot? Because we wanted to just use a bike pump.

[RyanN]

Originally Posted by Baldwin Robotic

How do you run an off board compressor with the robot? Because we wanted to just use a bike pump.

You have to have the cRIO control the compressor using the pressure switch. The difference is that the compressor and Spike can be located offboard, but the control of the compressor must originate from the cRIO.

You CANNOT use a bike pump. It's against the rules.

[Baldwin Robotic]

Ok thank you for clearing that up.

So in your opinion do you think that it is more easy and less hassle to just have the compressor on board?

[RyanN]

Originally Posted by Baldwin Robotic

Ok thank you for clearing that up.

So in your opinion do you think that it is more easy and less hassle to just have the compressor on board?

If you have the weight allowance and space, then a resounding yes.

[Chadfrom308]

It depends on how much you are using it. If you are driving with a pneumatic powered drive train (like we did last year), then yes, but if you are doing it to just do one thing (like when we deployed the mini bot for logomotion) then you can charge it off board.

Last year, we had a drive train and bridge manipulator that required pneumatics even during autonomus. So we charged ours before and we had an on board one too.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Baldwin,
The pneumatics rules are structured such that if you want to use pneumatics on your robot, the system must have at minimum the components shown in the rules. If you choose to place the compressor off board to gain a weight advantage, the system must still conform to the minimum system with the small addition described for off board compressors. If you just using pneumatics for shifting, off board compressors are an excellent choice. In either case, your pneumatics can only use a legal compressor with the minimum system to fill the tanks.

[Paul Copioli]

For everyone who thinks a compressor must be on board (not for rules sake, but for performance sake), please understand that the new (since 2011) rules allowing those large plastic tanks have changed everything. We had so many on our robot in 2011 that the pump took 5 minutes to fill the system.

Having a pump on a robot with that much volume is a false sense of security. With the new rules you have many choices on how to design your system. As long as I still get a vote on our team, the pump will never be placed on board the robot again.

In 2011, we used pneumatics for shifting, our tube grabber, and the minibot deployment. We used a lot of air and had no issues running an off board compressor.


BTW, you need a pressure relief valve off board the robot when using an off board compressor. This is in addition to the one on the robot.

[Mark McLeod]

Originally Posted by Paul Copioli

BTW, you need a pressure relief valve off board the robot when using an off board compressor. This is in addition to the one on the robot.

I knew I was forgetting something in my list earlier, thanks!