Bumper question

[tommy0019]

In the rules, it mentioned something about a specification of having no more than 8" of unsupported bumper. Does this mean that a bolt is needed every 8"?

[Nicandy]

From the diagram, I interpreted as meaning there had to be some hard backing every 8 inches. So you can't have more than 8 inches of pool noodle without plywood, or whatever you are using as your hard backing, behind it.

[Thundrio]

i would agree with that statement

=)

[GaryVoshol]

Close, Nicandy.

Behind the BUMPER plywood, there will be solid parts of your ROBOT backing it up - what we commonly think of as the frame. You can have gaps in that frame this year, but no more than 8" gaps. Bigger than that, the plywood will be much more suceptable to cracking.

Every cross section that you might view of the BUMPER must have plywood, noodles and cloth. Those parts are required for the entire length of the BUMPER segment, with the exception of the soft parts that extend beyond the plywood to protect the corners of your ROBOT.

[Kiely Fickus]

I'm pretty sure that you have to have a full plywood support but there has to be a fastening bolt every eight inches to connect the bumbers to the frame.

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by Kiely Fickus

I'm pretty sure that you have to have a full plywood support but there has to be a fastening bolt every eight inches to connect the bumbers to the frame.

No, there does not have to be a fastener every 8 inches. Most teams will only use 2 or 3 fasteners per side.

"I'm pretty sure" doesn't cut it when you're interpreting rules. You need to be able to back up your assertions with a rule reference if you're going to tell teams how to build their robots.

[RyanCahoon]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

No, there does not have to be a fastener every 8 inches. Most teams will only use 2 or 3 fasteners per side.

"I'm pretty sure" doesn't cut it when you're interpreting rules. You need to be able to back up your assertions with a rule reference if you're going to tell teams how to build their robots.

You seem to not be taking your own advice...

[EricH]

Originally Posted by RyanCahoon

You seem to not be taking your own advice...

He never said that you have to state the rule reference; just that you had to be able to give it.

It's <R07-K>, by the way, that gives the support requirements.

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by RyanCahoon

You seem to not be taking your own advice...

One can't quote a rule that doesn't exist (e.g. fasteners every 8").

[Nicandy]

Hard part of the robot as in the chassis?
I see. I thought that by hard backing they meant THE hard backing. Sorry.

[Alan Anderson]

<R07> K doesn't talk about "hard backing". It talks about "structure/frame of the ROBOT" and gives pictures to make clear what it means.

[aechmtwash11]

so this thread has made me question the way our bumpers currently are setup. So will this pass inspection:

We have two rails running horizontally. These rails are roughly 1.5 and 5.5 inches off the ground (distances are to the bottom of the rails which are 1 in square tubing). Approximately every 11 inches there is a vertical rail. So, by the way I look at it, as long as we mount the bumpers flush with the top rail we should be fine. This will give us a hard back the entire length of the bumper.


Also, if we use some 1/8 in aluminum angle on the top and bottom of the bumpers, it will space the plywood that far from the frame. Is this legal?

Thanks for your help. Trying to avoid another repeat of our rookie year where we had to totally redesign the bumpers after Boilermaker.

[EricH]

Should be legal. The aluminum angle is counted as part of the bumper; the top rail would be the frame part that supports the bumper.