2017 Team Update 4

[StAxis]

The fact that there's a steel piece that extends past the touch plate so you can't actually use your climber to touch the plate would have been good information to have a week ago. Glad we know now but how many teams will find themselves up and not climbed?

[Eric Scheuing]

Originally Posted by StAxis

The fact that there's a steel piece that extends past the touch plate so you can't actually use your climber to touch the plate would have been good information to have a week ago. Glad we know now but how many teams will find themselves up and not climbed?

Try to find a way to surround your climber with >0.5" foam to depress the touchpad.

[Rat_nanny]

Originally Posted by StAxis

The fact that there's a steel piece that extends past the touch plate so you can't actually use your climber to touch the plate would have been good information to have a week ago. Glad we know now but how many teams will find themselves up and not climbed?

This has been a discussion for the past week. It's why I am glad I follow this and a few other forums.

[GeeTwo]

Originally Posted by StAxis

The fact that there's a steel piece that extends past the touch plate so you can't actually use your climber to touch the plate would have been good information to have a week ago. Glad we know now but how many teams will find themselves up and not climbed?

On the other hand, this setup will likely reduce the number of mangled touchpads, and makes it easier to apply a 3-5 pound force to the touchpad while you're pulling on the rope with 100+ pounds of force.

But yes, it's going to be rough for teams whose winch or chock is right at the top of their allowable volume.

[Hitchhiker 42]

Originally Posted by GeeTwo

On the other hand, this setup will likely reduce the number of mangled touchpads, and makes it easier to apply a 3-5 pound force to the touchpad while you're pulling on the rope with 100+ pounds of force.

But yes, it's going to be rough for teams whose winch or chock is right at the top of their allowable volume.

But... 3.25" of bumpers stick out of the winch basically* no matter what. I don't think this was a large problem to start with.

*Assuming you don't actuate your winch out over the bumper and also the winch is situated a tad higher than your bumpers.

[Hallry]

Originally Posted by Hitchhiker 42

But... 3.25" of bumpers stick out of the winch basically* no matter what. I don't think this was a large problem to start with.

*Assuming you don't actuate your winch out over the bumper and also the winch is situated a tad higher than your bumpers.

**Assuming that you need to articulate your robot 90 degrees to climb.

[Hitchhiker 42]

Originally Posted by Hallry

**Assuming that you need to articulate your robot 90 degrees to climb.

Only if the vertical line through the robot's COG and winch also passes through the bumper. In which case, the simple solution is to make a cut in the bumpers.

[Hallry]

Originally Posted by Hitchhiker 42

Only if the vertical line through the robot's COG and winch also passes through the bumper. In which case, the simple solution is to make a cut in the bumpers.

I envision that there are many teams out there whose bumpers won't come into play during climbing at all.

[cgmv123]

Originally Posted by Hitchhiker 42

In which case, the simple solution is to make a cut in the bumpers.

Which isn't allowed.

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by cgmv123

Which isn't allowed.

You're totally allowed to have gaps in the bumpers this year. This is how I imagine the vast majority of teams will be acquiring game pieces from the floor this year.

[GeeTwo]

Originally Posted by GeeTwo

..it's going to be rough for teams whose winch or chock is right at the top of their allowable volume.

Originally Posted by Hitchhiker 42

But... 3.25" of bumpers stick out of the winch basically* no matter what. I don't think this was a large problem to start with.

*Assuming you don't actuate your winch out over the bumper and also the winch is situated a tad higher than your bumpers.

As I read the rules, the bumpers weren't allowed to be within 17" of the top of your allowable volume (or 29" if you elect the tall configuration). But yes, this would also apply to the other boundaries of the volume.

Winch near the bumpers...oh, yes, we did consider the "antichrist option" early in design, but decided to make our lift in a relatively upright orientation to simplify removal of our ROPE from the DAVIT. Fortunately the fingers on the DAVIT are within reach of some members of our team.

[Rangel]

I'm happy they at least made both alliances even in terms of player stations, but I hoped they would switch the picks around or just let the alliance pick what stations they want. Better than nothing I suppose.

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by StAxis

The fact that there's a steel piece that extends past the touch plate so you can't actually use your climber to touch the plate would have been good information to have a week ago. Glad we know now but how many teams will find themselves up and not climbed?

This was an issue since Day 1; I'm glad as soon as FIRST realized how this impacts designs (and how it wasn't in the team drawings...) that they added visibility to the issue in the manual in order to help teams. Should have been sooner, but I'm glad it's happened

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As for playoff player station assignments, this system seems okay. I do wish you were allowed to choose which player station you could go to, but I understand why that isn't done, and as long as that isn't a thing, this is the best we've got.

[Brian Maher]

I am very happy to see the change with player station assignment. That was the one aspect of this year's game that I was particularly upset with. I agree with Chris: while selecting our own stations would be ideal, this is the next best thing. Thank you, FIRST, for listening to the community's concerns.

Does anyone know what the "FIRST Championship Normalized Slots" refers to in Table 10-11 (the district award allocations)? The Houston-feeding districts have them and they're around one-fifth less than the "FIRST Championship slots".

[waialua359]

I just dont get it. Why cant teams choose which stations they want to be in?
Is it a matter of convenience for Field control to input them way in advance?
How about doing something for once that makes it convenient for teams.
Other events/games in the past during eliminations have allowed teams to choose. Its not like those events were at such an inconvenience to the volunteers.