Bag & Tag at Championships

[FrankJ]

Have they made an announcement about Bag & Tag yet? If not we will have to get our forms signed before unbagging.

[cgmv123]

Originally Posted by FrankJ

Have they made an announcement about Bag & Tag yet? If not we will have to get our forms signed before unbagging.

No announcement yet (watch it come right after I post this...). If there is no announcement, the expectation is bag and tag will be enforced.

[ollien]

Originally Posted by cgmv123

No announcement yet (watch it come right after I post this...). If there is no announcement, the expectation is bag and tag will be enforced.

Why would they not enforce it?

[cgmv123]

Originally Posted by ollien

Why would they not enforce it?

Because they haven't for the past two years. I think they have to enforce it every so often so teams don't assume it won't be enforced and start pulling shenanigans.

[rich2202]

Originally Posted by ollien

Why would they not enforce it?

Time.

Teams have to uncrate the robot. Get cleared to unbag. Then they can start getting their robot ready for inspection.

Robot inspectors will have to run around clearing robots to unbag.

All that takes time. Load-in is 1:00-4:00, and Pits open at 4:00 pm, and the first practice match is at 6:00 pm.

If they waive bag & tag, teams can start getting their robots ready for inspection right away, and the RI's can focus on inspecting robots. I'm guessing it would save about 1 hour if B&T is waived.

At regionals, load-in is on Wednesday, and pits open Thursday morning. RI's can clear teams to unbag Wednesday evening, and teams can start working on Thursday morning when pits open.

[ollien]

Originally Posted by rich2202

Time.

Teams have to uncrate the robot. Get cleared to unbag. Then they can start getting their robot ready for inspection.

Robot inspectors will have to run around clearing robots to unbag.

All that takes time.

If they waive bag & tag, teams can start getting their robots ready for inspection right away, and the RI's can focus on inspecting robots.

At regionals, load-in is on Wednesday, and pits open Thursday morning. RI's can clear teams to unbag Wednesday evening, and teams can start working on Thursday morning when pits open.

Ah, ok. At both the regionals I was at we actually got our bag checked on the practice day.

We actually ripped our bag pretty bad in transport and the LRI kinda just shrugged it off.

[Jon Stratis]

Originally Posted by ollien

Ah, ok. At both the regionals I was at we actually got our bag checked on the practice day.

That happens as well - some teams load in thursday morning, so they get checked then. Others have issues that need to be addressed by the team on Thursday before unbagging (most common is forgetting to leave the lock up form out where the inspectors can find it Wednesday night!).

[ollien]

Originally Posted by Jon Stratis

That happens as well - some teams load in thursday morning, so they get checked then. Others have issues that need to be addressed by the team on Thursday before unbagging (most common is forgetting to leave the lock up form out where the inspectors can find it Wednesday night!).

We loaded in on Thursday night (Friday-Sunday event) I had no clue you were supposed to leave the bag/tag form visible to inspectors! Well, that's a note to make for next year.

[orangemoore]

Originally Posted by ollien

We loaded in on Thursday night (Friday-Sunday event) I had no clue you were supposed to leave the bag/tag form visible to inspectors! Well, that's a note to make for next year.

A good idea is to attach your form to the bag. You cannot lose the form without losing the robot!

[rich2202]

Originally Posted by cgmv123

I think they have to enforce it every so often so teams don't assume it won't be enforced and start pulling shenanigans.

How about picking one Division each year, and that Division has to do Bag & Tag. That levels the playing field for that Division. They can also flood that Division with RI's for the first hour to get all the teams cleared.

Maybe they can pick the strongest division (Newton) to do Bag & Tag.

[PayneTrain]

Originally Posted by orangemoore

A good idea is to attach your form to the bag. You cannot lose the form without losing the robot!

I am pretty sure it is explicitly recommended that you do not do this.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by PayneTrain

I am pretty sure it is explicitly recommended that you do not do this.

Actually, it's putting the form INSIDE the bag that you don't want to do. Because if you do that, you'll be digging that form out under the watchful eyes of the inspectors...


If it's taped to the bag, in a page protector, chances are that you'll be OK.

[orangemoore]

Originally Posted by EricH

If it's taped to the bag, in a page protector, chances are that you'll be OK.

That is how we have always done it. In addition to that we have made copies or taken photos in the unlikely event we do lose it.(I'm not entirely sure how that would work out because we have never had it happen to us yet)

Like I said, it is hard to lose the sheet and the robot especially if they are together.

[Jon Stratis]

Originally Posted by PayneTrain

I am pretty sure it is explicitly recommended that you do not do this.

On the contrary, I explicitly recommend that every team does it as part of my presentation at the annual training seminars put on here in MN. Don't duct tape the form to the bag - then it's impossible to get off. But rather tape a clear page protector to the bag (even using duct tape if you want to), then fill out the sheet and slide it in the page protector.

It's also a great place to put your BOM and any other paperwork you want to make sure you don't forget between bag day and competition!

[IndySam]

From today's blog.

Bag and Tag Inspection at Championship Good news!

In an effort to save time through the Inspection Process, we will not be checking your Bag & Tag forms! Once you arrive in your pit, feel free to get your robot out of its crate and bag and get into the Inspection Process as soon as possible!