Do you think a practice robot is needed to compete?

[JoshWilson]

Originally Posted by TedG

The poll answers aren't all inclusive.
As others have mentioned, you don't "need" a practice robot to compete, but I feel it helps if you can pull it off.

We have had practice robots in the past few years that aren't as complete as the competition one, for drive practice and working out programming etc.

There should be a category:
"We build one if we have the time and resources to be better prepared for competition"

+1

[Michael Corsetto]

Originally Posted by Jared Russell

One of my favorite practice bot anecdotes was in 2014, a week or so before World Championships. A bunch of California teams brought their practice bots to our field to practice. We invited some other great California teams (who unfortunately had not qualified for the Championship) to bring their now-retired robots to help fill out the field. Our drive teams all scrimmaged together for hours. They went over every possible scenario, practiced beating defense, inbounding, perfecting positioning - you name it. (It must have paid off, since there wound up being 3 Einstein teams and one Division Finalist in the building that afternoon).

But even disregarding the future on-field success, I thought it was really cool. It was a unique bonding experience for the teams in the region. Hopefully we will do the same thing in 2016 (2015's game didn't have quite the same dynamic, so most teams could practice alone).

Sign us up!

We had a great time practicing that day.

Despite being spread out, CA's network of teams is one of our biggest inspirations/resources/motivations.

-Mike

[GeeTwo]

I answered #1 because it's closest to our reasoning, if not entirely accurate.

Our sponsorship resources have been generally rising year-over-year, despite a number of big "hits". On several occasions, our coaches, mentors, and boosters have explicitly considered "what do we add" nearly as seriously as we would address "what do we cut" if finding were to decrease. Each time, we have applied resources to both outreach and competitive capacity. On the competitive side, we did a "prototype" robot with a wooden frame in 2014, and in 2015, we did "twin" robots. Each of these gave us more driver practice than ever before, and better use of the withholding allowance to implement improvements worked out after stop build. While the second robot isn't strictly necessary to be competitive, we've found it to be a highly useful and cost-effective tool to help get there.

[Bryce2471]

Originally Posted by Ty Tremblay

6. We have the resources and the drive, so we build it. We're always working to improve.

+1

[angelah]

#1

The last week of build season, we decided to go ahead and build one this year for the first time. A materials sponsor came through for us by doubling their donation, so we could make it happen. We built an exact duplicate, minus outer coverings and a roboRIO (they shared to save money) in two days. It made a huge difference in our competitiveness, and we were much more successful than in previous years. It wasn't the only factor, more like one of three or four changes we made, but enough that we will definitely continue.

[GeeTwo]

Originally Posted by Gdeaver

Besides practice and development with the practice bot, we use the practice bot as a source of spare parts. It's stripped and then put back together for each competition.

We brought our practice 'bot to both Bayou and CMP last year in the trailer, to have an on-site source of spare parts. As it turned out, we did not need them, though we did loan a couple of dura-omnis, bearings, and shafts off of it to another team at Bayou.

[mman1506]

Originally Posted by GeeTwo

We brought our practice 'bot to both Bayou and CMP last year in the trailer, to have an on-site source of spare parts. As it turned out, we did not need them, though we did loan a couple of dura-omnis, bearings, and shafts off of it to another team at Bayou.

That is definitely illegal.

[z_beeblebrox]

Originally Posted by mman1506

That is definitely illegal.

We started an excellent thread about it in 2014. Read it if you like internet arguments.

[Mark Sheridan]

Originally Posted by mman1506

That is definitely illegal.

He listed COTS items.

[Whippet]

Originally Posted by mman1506

That is definitely illegal.

Not if you only pull COTS parts from it.

Edit: Ninja'd. Twice.

[Mark Sheridan]

Originally Posted by Whippet

Not if you only pull COTS parts from it.

Edit: Ninja'd. Twice.

Teamwork?

[mman1506]

Originally Posted by Whippet

Not if you only pull COTS parts from it.

Edit: Ninja'd. Twice.

The intention was illegal. Shafts if cut are not COTS. If the DuraOmni has been assembled with a sprocket or a hub it is no longer COTS.

[Sperkowsky]

Deleted because the post seemed too rude.

[AllenGregoryIV]

Originally Posted by GeeTwo

We brought our practice 'bot to both Bayou and CMP last year in the trailer, to have an on-site source of spare parts. As it turned out, we did not need them, though we did loan a couple of dura-omnis, bearings, and shafts off of it to another team at Bayou.

FYI the rule that makes this illegal does talk specifically about fabricated parts.

R17 At an Event, Teams may have access to a static set of FABRICATED ITEMS, not bagged per R14, known as the WITHHOLDING ALLOWANCE, that shall not exceed 30 lbs. to be used to repair and/or upgrade their ROBOT. With permission from another Team, Teams may also have access to FABRICATED ITEMS that are part of that other Team’s WITHHOLDING ALLOWANCE to repair and/or upgrade their ROBOT. The WITHHOLDING ALLOWANCE may only be brought into the Venue when the Team initially loads in at the Event. Items made at an Event do not count towards this weight limit.

This means teams may not store FABRICATED ITEMS outside the pits to be brought to the event at a later time. This set may be changed between events (i.e. a Team may leave a different set of items out of the bag and/or fabricate new items to bring to their next event) provided the total weight of FABRICATED ITEMS brought to the next event does not exceed thirty (30) lbs.

However as an inspector I much prefer if teams don't bring their practice robot anywhere near the venue. Even if you are just getting COTS parts it looks very suspicious when you are dissembling a robot in the parking lot. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say I'd rather not deal with that. I love practice robots but please do everyone a favor and leave them at home.

[mman1506]

Originally Posted by Sperkowsky

Oh no! How dare they help other teams out with free spare parts just to be nice. Why don't we sound the alarms, disqualify them, and institute a no sharing rule.

Ok too harsh but, I felt I had to show how ridiculous you sound. I understand the intentions but seriously no.

In 2014 it was made clear that bringing a practice robot to your event is was not legal. I'm sure GeeTwo did not intend to break the rules but teams reading his post and his own team should be informed that bringing a practice bot to an event is not legal. While unlikely a team could be penalized for breaking this rule.