Slack in the Overpass

[Wayne C.]

"Team 25 posted something last Thursday indicating the overpass was an inch or so lower than it should have been, so if you're counting on having 1/4" clearance, you might want to rethink your design!'

good advice but the design stage was last January and it may be too late......


More on sagging overpass-

By the time NJ was finished yesterday the overpass was visibly torsioned. Numerous robots would hang up on it and try to pull away when they were hurdling and I am sure that was messing up the metal.

Our measurement in the field on Friday night had the overpass by the control side at 76" height midfield and 76.5 right at the wall (atop the wall support). Neither was the 78" assumed height (+- 1 inch). Yesterday it was getting lower in spots to the degree that we would pass cleanly under one side and tip the other on our IR guided round. Our robot height was set for 75". I measured it personally with a tape before the round.

In one round we popped the ball up slightly and it rolled down the overpass in slow motion like the marble in one of those games with the holes. It was obvious that the materials of the overpass were getting beat up and the height was nowhere near 78" as per specs.

As stated previously- we had more issues with the field related nonsense than with dealings with the other robots.

I would like to see teams allowed onto the field at the beginning or the rounds and at downtimes to take measurements so they can adjust their machines(in the same manner we had camera calibration times in prior years). We designed to the specs in the manual. If the field can't maintain that there is a problem.

WC

And one other thing-

we built our bumpers to the exact specs in the manual. We only covered 3 of 4 sides of the robot. Why would they weigh 16.5 lbs? The only way anyone's bumpers seemed to be passing inspection and making weight was to remove the angle aluminum that the manual tells us to put on them. We did so and had a half pound to spare.

If we had 4 bumpers and built them exactly as the manual prescribes they would never be able to pass the weight test. Maybe our experts who write the manual should reexamine their weights and measures or give a more realistic range.