Disassembling Pneumatics?

[JR0405]

We assembled our pneumatic system last year during build season but it was never used on the robot. The only alteration that was made were cutting the tubing to a random length, everything else was assembled but not altered in anyway.

I was wondering per 2016 rules regarding this topic, which I assume will stay the same for 2017 would we have to disassemble our pneumatic system prior to kickoff?

[jee7s]

Per the 2016 rules (and speaking generally), yes, those would be assemblies made before kickoff and would not be allowed. To play it totally safe, you would need to disassemble everything (including fittings screwed into cylinders) to use it on the robot. But, you don't have to do it before kickoff. You can disassemble and reassemble as needed as you build. The only requirement is that the assemblies on the robot are fabricated after kickoff. That doesn't mean they have to be fully de-fabricated before kickoff. Your cut pneumatic tubing would have to be cut again, as well.

For a related instance, I've known teams who purchased a kit chassis and assembled it prior to kickoff without cutting or modifying any of the parts. Then, they disassembed and reassembled it during the build season to put themselves in the clear regarding the rules.

[SenorZ]

as Jee said.

As you disassemble you should check the parts against requirements in the 2017 manual (when it is available). There is always a slim chance a new regulator or something is required. If you just take the old apart and slap it back together, you may miss something.

[GeeTwo]

Originally Posted by jee7s

[Assuming the rules are consistent with recent years]..you don't have to do it before kickoff. You can disassemble and reassemble as needed as you build. The only requirement is that the assemblies on the robot are fabricated after kickoff.

Yes, we're planning that with our TB-minis this year. We bought all new bearings for them; any that we are going to use on the robot will get bearing replacements and inspection of gear teeth, which pretty much means a complete disassembly.

Originally Posted by SenorZ

As you disassemble you should check the parts against requirements in the 2017 manual (when it is available). There is always a slim chance a new regulator or something is required. If you just take the old apart and slap it back together, you may miss something.

+1. There's always a few rule changes you didn't expect, or perhaps misunderstood in previous years.

[Mike Schreiber]

Yea you have to disassemble your fittings etc. It's not fun, but it does make everything fair.

Originally Posted by jee7s

Your cut pneumatic tubing would have to be cut again, as well.

At what point is it just stock / scrap? If you had a drawer of pneumatic tubing not attached to anything that was left over from a scrapped robot disassembled ages ago (as I'm sure hundreds of teams have) and you found a piece that was the perfect length, by the book you're required to modify it in some way so that it was fabricated during the build season? Or does the very act of assembling mean it's modified, as it does with bringing in COTS components?

[jee7s]

Originally Posted by Mike Schreiber

At what point is it just stock / scrap? If you had a drawer of pneumatic tubing not attached to anything that was left over from a scrapped robot disassembled ages ago (as I'm sure hundreds of teams have) and you found a piece that was the perfect length, by the book you're required to modify it in some way so that it was fabricated during the build season? Or does the very act of assembling mean it's modified, as it does with bringing in COTS components?

By the book, yes, there does need to be some modification to make it "fabricated after kickoff". What that modification is depends on you. I mean, technically, if you mark it with a sharpie you've added ink to it which is a modification. Or, if you re-square the ends then you've certainly modified it.

Speaking to the definitions, both stock and scrap would need to be modified after kickoff to be used on the robot. Cut the stock to length--boom, modified. Cut the scrap to shape--boom, modified.