Robot Inspection Checklist Prior to Matches

[toolgirl]

In addition to always just checking for loose screws and such, we've found it helpful to actually list specifics on our sheet- figure out which things are more likely to ever come loose, so we make sure they always get extra special attention!

We always check wires and connections, too, as well as clearances- if say a zip tie broke off and now a wire is hanging in the path where your rotating arm travels... just things like that. But checking for clearances could apply to a number of things anyway.

Then, Bumpers! Just to make sure we have the right color for the next match! And then this also helps us to keep track of matches when we check to see our next alliance, the times are right next to it if matches are still on schedule.

Most of the rest of our checklist is specific to our robot, but like some others have said, just restoring whatever needs to be restored, making sure hostbot and minibot batteries are fully charged (part of this check is to actually use a multimeter for us at least), and even making sure your driver station is ready to go, would all probably be beneficial.

Good luck!

[vhcook]

As I recall, our checklist, which is robot-specific, went something like this:

- Bumpers correct color
- Bumpers right side up
- Elevator cables correctly seated in pulleys
- Radio plugged in
- Battery plugged in and strapped down
- Robot on
- Minibot on robot
- Minibot battery connected
- Minibot switches in correct position
- Electronics Hatch secured
- Minibot Deployment Arm retraction hard stop locked in place
- Minibot Deployment Arm cotter pin secured.
- Beak closed on ubertube in correct orientation
- Robot properly aimed for auton (check at least twice)

Some of these are not going to be applicable for you, but they're ideas.

[B-RoB]

Before every match I make sure that I have zip ties and a 7/16ths wrench and ratchet in my pocket in case I see any issues. I also check the driver’s station to make sure that the controller and joystick are read by it

[Ankit S.]

For the Robot:
-Make sure PWM's are connected and haven't fallen out. It is quite tough to drive if you don't have all of your wheels connected.

-Check battery voltage.

-Make sure crimps stay crimped and wires have not fallen out of the crimp.

-Bumpers!

-Make sure your Arm is in starting configuration if it ended the last match out of starting configuration.

-Make sure your Radio is plugged in the right port.

-If your sponsor logos are detachable, make sure they are on the robot.

For Driving:
-Make sure the joysticks are plugged in.

-Make sure your classmate is charged and able to be turned on. If the classmate is not charged, be prepared to plug it in immediately in the driver station.

-Make sure your drivers are present.

Thats all I have from my experience.

[Vermeulen]

We dind't have a checklist this year, and I wish we had.
I would include:

New, legal battery in and secured. (Minibot and robot)
Any stored energy springs set
No broken parts (We had a piece of steel wire connecting a servo to our deployment latch which nobody checked. Our minibot didn't deploy, and we lost the match
Bumpers are secured and of the right colors
Parts are within the starting configuration
Bolts are tightened
Chains/belts are tensioned

Almost all of those had been problems for us either in our testing or in the competition. Having a checklist probably would have put us in position to pick alliances at our regional, due to an unsecured minibot battery hanging off the back while it was climbing.

[11douglash]

Shure. This is what our team used for two regionals this year:

1. Check Bumper Color
2. Change the Robot's battery
3. Is everything plugged in? (it listed specific line items)
4. Turn Robot on, with the tether
5. Retract the arm to starting configuration (specific instructions followed)
6. Make shure the robot moves
7. Robot off
8. Fresh minibot battery
9. Fresh robot battery
10. Check loose screws (listed specific locations)

We've done checklists for two years now. We've found it helps alot, when we actually use them. Probably the best example to use is the emergency checklists for airplanes. All small airplanes have an about 20 page series of checklists for normal operations. This is all well and nice, but 20 pages is too long, seeing as we don't have all the time in the world. Look at the language of the plane's emergency checklists. We try to emulate that.

Example checklist: http://www.atlasaviation.com/checkli..._checklist.htm

(granted, it's not in the real format, but it'll give you a good idea)

mabye this'll help for you too?

[Grim Tuesday]

We started the season with no checklist, lost some matches to stupid reasons (minibot not securely fastened, not turned on, etc...), made one before qualification matches started, and went 8-2 with absolutely no stupid mistakes made!

[wireties]

Come hell or high water, we WILL have a checklist next year! A improperly seated (and easily checked) connection to a minibot motor cost us a spotin the Dallas Regional finals. And of course this happens in the same game where our teammate gets their arm beat up in the autonomous period and their minibot is turned off by the uber-tube falling on it - arghhh.

[Joe Ross]

Team 599 has a particularity exhaustive set of checklists. They broke it up in several checklists based on subsystem and when the check is being performed. Each checklist had a place for two people to write their names and check.

Post Match Electronics Checklist:
Check Battery Voltage / New battery
6 awg wires are secure to DB board
All fuses are present on Distribution board
Wire connections to distribution board are secure
Power wire to cRIO are secure
Power cable to camera is plugged in on both ends
Power to digital sidecar (both) is plugged in on both ends
pneumatics module is in slot 8 of cRIO
Analog module in slot 1 of cRIO
Digital Sidecar 4 in slot 4 of cRIO
Digital Sidecar 6 in slot 6 of cRIO
shifter solenoid in pneumatics mod. 2
claw solenoid in pneumatics mod. 4
minibot solenoid in pneumatics mod. 5&6
PWMs in digitical sidecar 4 are secure and in straight
PWM in victor is secure and all in all the way
Power to victor is secure and plugged in to DB
Victor connection to lift motor is secure and plugged in
PWM in relay is secure
Power to relay is plugged in and secure
relay connections to compressor are plugged in and secure
PWM in jaguars are secure and plugged in
Jaguar connections to motors are secure

Post Match Drive Checklist
Screws on the wheel shafts are tight
shafts are sitting properly in the wheels and chassis
Feathers and other components are secured on the chain
Chains are present and tension is AWESOME!
chain path is clear
bolts holding transmissions are tight
Gearbox plates are sitting properly and bolted tightly
Bolts are tight on bearing blocks
Bearings are sitting flush against bearing blocks
Wheel treads in good condition
Wheels are secure and are linked to drive chain

Post Match Chassis Checklist
Bumper color (red/blue) correct for next match
Front bumper securely mounted
rear bumper securely mounted
Left bumper securely mounted
Right bumper securely mounted
Bumper brackets tight
Battery mount screws tight
Pins looped through bumper
fresh battery

Lift Checklist
Lift motor temperature is normal
Drum and encoder shafts are unbent and undamaged
Top outer-rail bearing mounts aligned
U-channel is unstressed
Bearing mounts are undamaged
Rope is undamaged
Bearings have freedom of movement (where possible)
Springs are at correct position
Bolts and nuts are tight for top bearing mounts
Bolts and nuts are tight for top bracing
Bolts and nuts are tight for lift bracing
Bolts and nuts are tight for top inner rail
Bolts and nuts are tight for bottom of lift
Bolts and nuts are tight for encoder and line sensor mounts
Bolts and nuts are tight for drum and motor mounts

Post Match Claw/Arm Checklist
Put the finger safety on
All the bolts on the metal bar are tightened
Lexan pieces do not have cracks
The pool noodle has no tears
Pistons do not have cracks
There are 4 zip-ties on each lexan piece holding the pool noodles
PWM cables are connected to the piston solenoid on the arm, and there are no tears in them.
PWM cables are connected to the piston solenoid on the carriage and there are no tears in them
Make sure that all the bolts on the carriage are tight
The axles that hold the pistons in place have an e-ring on each side
The pneumatic tubing on the claw is completely plugged into the pistons, solenoids, and connectors.
Bolts connecting arm to backstop are tight
Bolts on the rider are tight
Bolts Connecting bearing to rider are tight
E-clips on shafts on rider are tight
E-clips connection rider to pivot point on arm are tight
Shafts are in good condition.

Post Match minibot/Deployment checklist
All mounting screws holding deployment are tight
Make sure deployment is tilted (check vertical blue lines)
Stop is tight on both sides
Stop stops the deployment slide and bearings one centimeter away (adjust bearings if necessary)
'Liftoff' poles are tight
Screw holding the surgical tubing is tight

Post Match Pneumatics Checklist
All tubes are secure
all solenoid wires are plugged in
solenoid screws are tight
Tanks are secure, nice and tight
Pistons are connected to their tubing
Pressure release valve is closed
Rejoice, hi-5, then kumba-ya

Pre Match Driver Station Checklist
Driver Station is on
Driver station is in "Driver" user id
Stop button is disabled
PSoC chip is recognized by Driver Station
Drive joystick is plugged in and recognized
Lift joystick is plugged in and recognized
Score button is active (press to check)
Pickup button is active (press to check)
Minibot switch is active (flip to check)

[PAR_WIG1350]

Originally Posted by wireties

It may seem silly but - continually check for loose screws! - with the battery disconnected of course

HTH

Oh, for a second I forgot what this thread was about.

Also, check all electrical connections, breakers, fuses, etc. Be sure to include the fans on victors, the 5 volt regulated output (if used for a camera) and the 12 volt regulated output on the power distribution board, and the breaker in the spike that controls the compressor (the other spikes should have fuses which are a bit more secure since they don't stick out. Also, check to see if any chains have come off their sprockets and for any other type of misalignment.