2017 Team Update 4

[Hallry]

https://firstfrc.blob.core.windows.n...amUpdate04.pdf

Major updates:

• Details regarding Early Pit Setup
• Added images depicting the Davit position when the Touchpad is unactuated and fully actuated
• Ranking Score will be truncated to 2 decimal places.
• For Playoffs, Alliance Captain is assigned Player Station 2, with the first pick now being assigned the Player Station closest to the Boiler and the second pick now being assigned the Player station closest to the opponent's Loading Station.
• Added District Chairman's, Dean's List, Engineering Inspiration, and Rookie All-Star Award allocations.

[rcoren22]

Thanks Ryan!

[JesseK]

ALLIANCE Leads are assigned to PLAYER STATION 2, the first picks are assigned to the PLAYER STATIONS closer to the BOILER, and second picks are assigned to the PLAYER STATIONS closer to the opponent’s LOADING STATION.

Woo!

[GuyM142]

ALLIANCE Leads are assigned to PLAYER STATION 2, the first picks are assigned to the PLAYER STATIONS 1 closer to the BOILER, and second picks are assigned to the PLAYER STATIONS 3 closer to the opponent’s LOADING STATION.

2nd picks are going to have a hard time trying to defend the opponents boiler, the drivers won't see anything from their station!
Also, 1st pick won't be able to see the loading station well.

[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.

[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

---

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.

[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.