Al's 2016 Inspection Thread

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by Jon Stratis

The regulator is required to be relieving, per R82, for exactly that reason. When high pressure is released in this case, the low pressure side would be vented through the regulator.

Merely being a relieving regulator wouldn't necessarily be enough. A relieving regulator vents to atmosphere when performing its "relieving" function. Every regulator I have seen on an FRC robot does let air flow in reverse when the input pressure is lower, but nothing says it must do so.

While I've never actually encountered one in the wild, I know there are regulators that don't care whether the "high side" pressure is lower than the "low side". Such a regulator would maintain the working pressure even after the stored pressure part of the system was emptied. <R89A> would make it illegal to put the vent valve on its stored pressure side even though the regulator satisfied <R82>.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

I do want every team to know this. If you question an inspector's decision, it will not be held against you. If it does, I want to know about it. You have every right to ask the LRI at your event for ruling and to explain the rule he is using to make his decision. If there still is a question, the LRI is instructed to give me a call or text. If I cannot be reached, Jonathon Bryant should be called, and after that Frank Merrick. All the LRIs have my number and Jonathon's.

[Jimmy Nichols]

Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz

I do want every team to know this. If you question an inspector's decision, it will not be held against you. If it does, I want to know about it. You have every right to ask the LRI at your event for ruling and to explain the rule he is using to make his decision. If there still is a question, the LRI is instructed to give me a call or text. If I cannot be reached, Jonathon Bryant should be called, and after that Frank Merrick. All the LRIs have my number and Jonathon's.

Thanks for this Al! I know in the past my kids have been hesitant to push back. One year at QCR the RI wanted them to completely rewire the main breaker in order to relocate it because he felt it was not easy to access. They were getting ready to start moving it, when I walked up and stopped them and asked for an explanation. He pointed out the restrictions. I agreed that it wasn't the best place, but it was protected and where he wanted it was not. Additionally his hands were giant so of course he would have problems that none of us had. I asked for the LRI to make a ruling and she simply asked us to make it more visible by placing the main breaker stickers around the location.

We were gracious and non-confrontational about it, which is the key when questioning/pushing back against what you think is within the rules.

[dradel]

Well the answer is in from gdc. Does not matter if on high or low as long as rest of R89 is met.

Now word just had to be spread so other teams and inspectors are aware.

[rich2202]

Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz

If you question an inspector's decision, it will not be held against you.

If a team questions my call, it doesn't bother me if they ask for the LRI's opinion. If I am overruled, I learn something in the process.

Most times, if it would cause a lot of hardship to fix, I will ask an LRI for their opinion. I don't want a team to do a difficult fix if they don't have to. I also would rather have the LRI take the heat, rather than me

[Jon Stratis]

Originally Posted by rich2202

If a team questions my call, it doesn't bother me if they ask for the LRI's opinion. If I am overruled, I learn something in the process.

Most times, if it would cause a lot of hardship to fix, I will ask an LRI for their opinion. I don't want a team to do a difficult fix if they don't have to. I also would rather have the LRI take the heat, rather than me

That's why we get paid the big bucks

[Richard Wallace]

Originally Posted by Jon Stratis

That's why we get paid the big bucks

IIRC, LRI pay consists of a very condensed trip to Manchester, generally during a snowstorm. And maybe some donut priority at events.

The black vests do not contain asbestos or kevlar. But they do have a lot of pockets.

[Jon Stratis]

Originally Posted by Richard Wallace

IIRC, LRI pay consists of a very condensed trip to Manchester, generally during a snowstorm. And maybe some donut priority at events.

The black vests do not contain asbestos or kevlar. But they do have a lot of pockets.

Wait a minute... Donuts? I've been underpaid for years!

[Jimmy Nichols]

Originally Posted by Richard Wallace

IIRC, LRI pay consists of a very condensed trip to Manchester, generally during a snowstorm. And maybe some donut priority at events.

The black vests do not contain asbestos or kevlar. But they do have a lot of pockets.

Wait no Kevlar, talk about risk.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Originally Posted by Richard Wallace

IIRC, LRI pay consists of a very condensed trip to Manchester, generally during a snowstorm. And maybe some donut priority at events.

The black vests do not contain asbestos or kevlar. But they do have a lot of pockets.

And they are very hot even in Minnesota.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Everyone,
I want to remind those teams headed to champs that it is possible something passed at your regional event that will not pass at Champs. This often the case. Items you may want to check is bumpers (3/4" plywood, or other substantial wood), everything inside the Frame Perimeter at the start of the match, 120" Frame Perimeter (not even 1/4" over), Robot height, and bumper frame backing and height. If you have a question about something you are worried about, please ask now. You can PM me or ask in public. I don't want any team to be surprised when they get to St. Louis.
Yes it happens more than you know.

[GeeTwo]

Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz

Everyone,
I want to remind those teams headed to champs that it is possible something passed at your regional event that will not pass at Champs.

The converse may also be true. Our pickup rake last year (Recycle Rush) featured about 30 spring-cushioned 10-32 bolts. It failed inspection based on the "unsafe operation" threshold at Bayou. We mitigated at Bayou with some heat shrink tubing, and designed a new pickup for CMP that we did not like as well. After a few matches, we put the original rake (from which we had removed the mitigating heat shrink) back on and passed a re-inspection where it was the most significant change.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

OK,
We have passed through several weeks of competition and above all, electrical issues are the greatest problem for teams. At Midwest over the weekend, around twenty field issues turned out to be electrical issues on robots. So here is some reminders for those who have upcoming events and the Champs.

1. Be sure to crimp the #6 terminals properly and tug test everything. We solder all of them as insurance. (see my post from last night on how to crimp if you do not have a tool)
2. Loose #6 terminals (on the PDP, main breaker or battery) will produce brownout or loss of primary electrical power. If it moves, it is resistive. Even tight connections will loosen in this game. Check your batteries now.
3. Secure the radio power at both ends. If it moves during the game, the radio will drop or reboot. The radio takes 50 seconds to reboot. That is along time to sit there doing nothing for your alliance.
4. Make sure that the fuses on the end of the PDP are firmly pushed all the way in.
5. Make sure there are no 'whiskers' that will short adjacent conductors on any electrical component.
6. Do not run electrical cable near moving parts including parts that move unintentionally. It is not uncommon to wear through the insulation and short the cable when continuously abraded by moving parts.
7. Check all of the above after every match!

[Wayne Doenges]

I know some people will scoff at this but FRC Team 1501 hot glues all connectors into the radio. We have NEVER had a connector come out.

At World's I had a team that had 1/2" plywood backing their bumpers, so things can slip by.

I heard a funny story about Al doing his LRI thing. He was talking to a student about a problem with their robot. The student said to Al "I want to talk to someone of higher authority." Who is higher than Al?

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Originally Posted by Wayne Doenges

I heard a funny story about Al doing his LRI thing. He was talking to a student about a problem with their robot. The student said to Al "I want to talk to someone of higher authority." Who is higher than Al?

True story. I often remove the vest and work under other LRIs to support them incognito. This team had something that was illegal and was challenging the LRI (a Champs division LRI) at the event. He asked me to step in and deliver a decision. The team member did not know who I was and he responded...
"With all due respect, I would like to ask a higher authority for a ruling." The event LRI had to turn away to keep from laughing. I was able to keep it under control and responded, "I am the Chief Robot Inspector and it doesn't get much higher." The team mentor recognized me at that point and they changed out the offending part.