Rookie Questions About Fingerlakes Events

[crobotraiders]

Hello All,
I am from a rookie team in Trumansburg, NY, team 5254.
We are attending the finger lakes regional event at RIT, and have a few questions about it.
We heard about some sort of Part-Swap, where you could exchange broken or burnt out parts for new ones. We would like to know if this exists at our event.
We have also heard there will be a fully equipped machine shop there, and would like to know if this is true and any details you may have about it.
We would also like to know about rule 5.6.2 in the administrative manual, what that is all about, and if the 6 hour limit includes pit time during the competition.
Also Rule R18, and some suggestions for what to bring for our 45 pounds.
Thanks,
--FRC Team 5254

[eddie12390]

I can't speak for the specifics of your event, but, at both of the events that I've been to in the past there have been outside sources providing an arrangement of tools such as a band-saw that can be used to make repairs or modifications as you see fit.

For the 45 pound weight limit, you can pretty much take anything that you'd like with it. We usually keep an essential part of our robot, such as an intake or shooter, and continue to fine tune it in the weeks leading up to our event.

Rule 5.6.2 does not affect you as FLR is a 3-day event. The purpose of the rule is to substitute 7 hours of free access to the robot for the practice day that a team at a 3-day event would receive that a team at a 2-day event would not. On Thursday, you'll be given the entirety of the day to work on your robot, get inspected, and play in practice matches. The practice matches are extremely important and you should attend at least one to make sure that your robot works correctly with the field.

I don't know anything about the part swap as that hadn't been a component of the regionals that I have been to but I do know that a lot of teams will bend over backwards to help you out. If you need a tool or a part just ask around and talk to the Pit Admin as they can put out requests to get you the things that you need. A lot of veteran teams love being able to help newer teams succeed.

[Lil' Lavery]

Section 5.6 of the Administrative Manual only applies to teams attending district competitions (Michigan, Pacific-Northwest, New England, or MAR), not to teams addending traditional regionals, like the one at RIT. You can ignore that section for this year. You are not allowed any access periods prior to your event.

Your 45lb. witholding allowance may be whatever you chose. It does not count any raw materials (uncut metals, plastics, fasteners, etc.) or unmodified COTS components. If you have a particular system of your robot that needs additional work, it may be worth removing to continue working on while the rest of the robot is in the bag.

[kmusa]

Originally Posted by crobotraiders

We have also heard there will be a fully equipped machine shop there, and would like to know if this is true and any details you may have about it.

If I recall correctly, one would request machining, and it would be done nearby on campus.

Originally Posted by crobotraiders

We heard about some sort of Part-Swap, where you could exchange broken or burnt out parts for new ones. We would like to know if this exists at our event.

It has in the past.

Good Luck!

-Karlis

[crobotraiders]

Also, does anyone know how many heats/matches there will be in a day?
Thanks,
--Cameron

[Lil' Lavery]

Originally Posted by crobotraiders

Also, does anyone know how many heats/matches there will be in a day?
Thanks,
--Cameron

There's no way to know for certain until the match schedule is generated at the event. In general, at an event around the size of Fingler Lakes (48 teams), you can expect to run 9-11 qualification matches per team. Be prepared to run around 6-8 matches on Friday, and 2-4 on Saturday morning. Depending on how far you advance in the tournament, you can run as many as 9 more matches on Saturday afternoon (technically more, in the unlikely event of a tie).

[DonRotolo]

Part Swap: This is known as spare parts. FIRST provides for several KoP parts to be available to swap if you happen to have a problem. Not every part is available, some require a credit card to be held hostage while you borrow it. Don't abuse this service, but use it if you need it.

Machine Shop: Some events have a local machine shop, or sometjmes a mobile machine shop, that can perform some fabrication tasks for you. You are not allowed to use the machines: You provide materials and a clear sketch of what you want, and you come back a few hours later and it is done. Not all events have this.

45 lbs: Bring extra parts that have been FABRICATED such as catapults, lifting arms, and stuff that might break (make a second one and bring it wth you). Unmodified COTS and KoP parts are not Fabricated and so do not count against the 45 pounds. 1676 will bring an extra ball grabber and catapult frame along with some extra wheels with the sprockets pre-mounted. For example.

[crobotraiders]

Thanks for all your help guys!
I have another question though, about practice time.
How does that work at the event? Is it a first come first serve basis or do we have to sign up beforehand?
thanks,
--Cameron

[esquared]

Originally Posted by crobotraiders

Thanks for all your help guys!
I have another question though, about practice time.
How does that work at the event? Is it a first come first serve basis or do we have to sign up beforehand?
thanks,
--Cameron

We have done practice field signups, as well as first-come first-serve, depending on how deep the queue is at any point in time.

I would come in on Thursday and sign up for the practice field ASAP. If you have significant robot issues you are working on in the pit, please let the practice field attendant know so other teams ahead of you can start early, and/or swap timeslots with another team on the list.

We have some excellent Control System Advisors and Robot Inspectors who will assist you in debugging and obtaining parts from the Spare Parts desk as well. Spare Parts carries replacements for some but not all of the Kit of Parts items, but you can always ask at Pit Admin if any teams at the event have a spare cylinder/cRIO bumper/Flux Capacitor/etc. Finger Lakes has a number of veteran teams who are local and 'well stocked', and they'll do their best to make sure you can get back on the field and compete.

Good luck and see you in a few weeks!

[Maybeck]

Hey everyone I have a quick question that I was hoping someone could answer for me, can your senior advisor be the one to sign the teams lockout form?

- Maybeck

[vhcook]

Originally Posted by Maybeck

Hey everyone I have a quick question that I was hoping someone could answer for me, can your senior advisor be the one to sign the teams lockout form?

- Maybeck

Section 5.4.1 of the Admin manual:

The Robot Lock-Up Form must be completed by an adult, 18 years old or older, who is NOT a student on the team.

By signing this form the signatory attests to the fact that he/she is:

• 18 years old or older;
• not a student member of the team, and
• making certain all rules and regulations regarding access periods and lock/unlock are being followed.

Cell phone numbers are required for verification in case inspectors at events have questions regarding the form.

[Maybeck]

Does anyone know what battery chargers are legal at the events?

[Alan Anderson]

I don't see anything in the manuals defining legal battery chargers. Am I missing something?

In past years, a maximum charging rate of 6 Amps was specified in the manual.