Pneumatic Restrictions & Improvments

[Michael Hill]

Originally Posted by Richard Wallace

Motor racing would be a different competition if its rules allowed unlimited fuel. Soccer would be a different sport if its rules allowed unlimited substitutions. Launching a competitive new product would be much less challenging if not for (usually unavoidable) limits on budget, schedule, and engineering resources.

Limits are part of the challenge. Without them, life would be boring.

The "one and only one" compressor rule puts a limit, based on rates of air flow and temperature rise, on the energy that can be used during a match by an FRC robot's pneumatic system. Matches might be made more interesting (or even more challenging) if that limit were raised -- but they would surely become less interesting if the limit were completely removed.

I don't know...I refuse to believe that this falls under the catch-all "but it's part of the challenge". I'm going to guess 80-90% of the teams are using the same Viair 90C compressor because that's what makes economical sense to them. There are some teams who have the money and are willing to spend it on any advantage they can get, and do with the Thomas compressor. Most teams are not willing to spend that much on a compressor, so that right there is an advantage to teams with more to spend.