Spare Parts

[ChuckDickerson]

As long as we meet rule <R31> limiting us to 25 lbs of spare parts is there any other rule that I am not aware of that requires us to bring ALL of our spare parts into the event during load-in on Thursday? We have a complete spare ramp/lift that we built for our robot (during the regular build season) but we didn't ship it in our crate because it wouldn't easily fit. We brought it into Bayou Regional but, it being somewhat large, was a PITA in our pits. It just sort of kicked around always in the way. We didn't need it and thus it came back home with us and will go with us to Championships in Atlanta. I am wondering if it is legal to just leave it in a vehicle in the parking lot and just go get it if needed to keep it out of the pit. The pits are crowded enough as it is. Does it violate any rule if say some poor student has to run to the team bus and get the spare lift on Saturday morning and bring it into the pits as a replacement or do all the spare parts have to be brought into the pits on Thursday morning? Whether or not we can do it in time would be our problem of course.

[Kevin Sevcik]

There was a discussion about something similar a few years ago when the limit was first instituted. I think in this case, the reasoning is that, as long as all the spare parts you have available to you at the competition are limited to 25 lbs then you're okay. If the entire ramp is, say, 35 lbs then it's probably not legal even if you only ever bring in 15 lbs of spares, because you have over 25 lbs available to you.

[Pavan Dave]

According to dlavery in this post from years ago he said:

Originally Posted by davery

Note that the limit imposed by <R24> is 25 pounds of materials at each competition event. Not in the competition venue, but brought to the event. So Redateam's arrivial with their entire practice robot - which they are obviously using as a source for spare parts - in the trailer is a violation to begin with. Whether they bring the entire machine into the building, whole or in parts, doesn't matter. Their collection of spare parts - their practice robot (they are obviously using it as such) - clearly exceeds 25 pounds (last time I checked, 16+6+2+4 > 25). QED. Redateam is in violation, and should be excluded from the competition until they lock up the spare robot and remove it from the competition site so that it is beyond reach.

Here is the question dlavery was responding to.

Originally Posted by Natchez, 2005 YMTC

Redateam drives all night from Redaville and arrives five minutes before the Magnolia Regional opens their doors. Redateam only takes their tools into the regional and leaves their practice robot along with all of Redabot's spare parts in the trailer.

On Friday morning, Redabot's custom-made telescoping arm breaks; Billy-Bob goes to Redateam's trailer, disconnects Redateam's practice robot's telescoping arm, weighs all of the custom-parts ... 16 lbs, and takes it to the pit. After 16 minutes, Redabot is back in action.

Friday afternoon, the gripper gives way; Mary-Sue retrieves the spare gripper from the trailer, weighs it ... 6 lbs, and takes it to the pit. After 6 minutes, Redabot is back in action.

Saturday morning, a custom wheel breaks; Mary-Elizabeth, the sister of Mary-Sue, retrieves a wheel from the practice robot, weighs it ... 2 lbs, and takes it to the pit. After 2 minutes, Redabot is back in action.

After seeding first and assembling a seemingly unstoppable alliance, Redabot's tetra-retriever catastrophically fails during the semi-finals; Lu-Bob, Billy-Bob's brother, sprints to the trailer, weighs their spare tetra-retriever ... 4 lbs, returns to the pit, and says, "Sorry guys, the tetra-retriever weighs too much!" Redateam feverishly tries to repair the tetra-retriever with no luck. Instead of a 4 minute repair and a shot at the Magnolia Championship, it is a long ride back to Redaville with thoughts of what might have been.

Based on the 2005 Robot Rules, YOU MAKE THE CALL!

I believe the intent of the rule has not changed so unless your ramp is 25 lbs and you are not bringing any other spare parts it would be legal.

Pavan.

[MrForbes]

Keep in mind that the <R31> 25 lb limit applies only to FABRICATED parts...this is in addition to any fabricated parts that are shipped in the crate with the robot, as I read it.

You can bring any amount of COTS parts with you.

[ChuckDickerson]

Thanks guys. I thought it was ok but just wanted to make sure I didn't miss something.

Edit: Oh yeah, the spare ramp is well under 25 lbs.