Al's Annual Inspect before you ship! and What To Expect at Your First Event thread.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

OK readers.
This is where we start to list the things teams should not forget to check prior to ship.

Please read the bumper rules, again! Bumpers are at a different height this year, are non-moving and must be able to display two colors only Red and Blue.

Bumpers must have the Team Numbers in four inch high by 3/4" stroke contrasting colors on four sides of the robot.

No motors not provided in the KOP except those listed in the rules.

Make sure all mechanisms are safe to protect your students and those who are likely to be near the robot anytime it is out of the crate.

Weigh the robot and check the size. Then check your scale and your tape measure and repeat first sentence. It is easy to skin an ounce but impossible to lose thirty pounds. I can do it but you won't like it.

The FRAME PERIMETER is defined and nothing can extend beyond the perimeter outside of the bumper zone. Bolt heads, fasteners and axle shafts are include in the must not extend list.

Please check the First website for answers to the Q&A and the biweekly updates. We (your inspectors) check often and read all of it. We are up to Rev I on Section 8 and team update #11 came out last night.

Be sure you have downloaded and installed the latest software and firmware. If you are using CAN that means the firmware in your Jaguars needs to be the latest version. You will be asked to demonstrate the version numbers during inspection.

Please download the BOM template and use it to list your robot's materials and parts. Do it now while you still have the robot in front of you. It is part of the inspection and you will not be complete without it.

If you are using pneumatics (I am guessing many more teams than ever before will be this season) there is a list of minimum requirements for your system. Pressure relief valve, vent, regulator, two gauges and a pressure switch are all required items. The pressure switch is connected to the CRio, not the compressor. Operation of the system will be checked during inspections.

If you are using any parts that are not known by the inspectors, be ready to show spec sheets to prove they meet the minimums listed in the rules.

That is enough for now, I am sure others will soon tack on their choices. If you have any questions, ask.

Inspectors are not in place to keep you from playing. We are there to help you play, within the rules and safely. When you have a problem, let them try to help you or find someone who can.

Read the manual, wear your safety glasses, have fun!

[Trying to Help]

Thanks for doing this list Al!

I'm sure it will help many teams in the last few days of build prepare for a happier unpacking at their competition.

Trying to Help

[Kims Robot]

Al, great reminders

Are they going to post the inspection checklist here before ship?
http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...nt.aspx?id=452

Kinda seems pointless to post it up there after ship (or at least makes the Thursday inspections MUCH slower).

I hit post too fast...
Had one question, from the definition of FRAME PERIMETER:

Note: to permit a simplified definition of the FRAME PERIMETER and
encourage a tight, robust connection between the BUMPERS and the FRAME PERIMETER, minor
protrusions such as bolt heads, fastener ends, rivets, etc are excluded from the determination of the
FRAME PERIMETER.

(bolding mine)

Is this the same:

The FRAME PERIMETER is defined and nothing can extend beyond the perimeter outside of the bumper zone. Bolt heads, fasteners and axle shafts are include in the must not extend list.

Al, if I read your post, you are saying bolt heads cannot extend outside the frame perimeter, but I thought thats what the team update said was specifically allowed?

[Daniel_LaFleur]

Originally Posted by Kims Robot

Al, if I read your post, you are saying bolt heads cannot extend outside the frame perimeter, but I thought thats what the team update said was specifically allowed?

Bolt heads are allowed outside the FRAME PERIMETER only within the BUMPER ZONE and nowhere else.

[GaryVoshol]

Kim, we went round and round on this here: http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=81042

As it stands now, from my understanding of Team Updates 6 and 7, you are allowed minor protrusions in your FRAME PERIMETER, and they do not count in the definition of it. But remember that FRAME PERIMETER is defined to be in the BUMPER ZONE.

Protrusions that extend beyond the vertical projection of your FRAME PERIMETER outside the BUMPER ZONE are disallowed except for the exclusions in <G30>. Bolts, axle ends, etc are not allowable exclusions.

So the way it sits is a bolt that holds your frame together within the BUMPER ZONE is OK. A bolt that holds your lower frame together or a bearing that holds your axle, is not excluded. The only effective way to get around this is to make sure your frame dimensions in the BUMPER ZONE are the largest dimensions of your robot.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Originally Posted by Kims Robot

Al, great reminders

Are they going to post the inspection checklist here before ship?
http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...nt.aspx?id=452

We are trying for today or tomorrow at the latest.

[Kims Robot]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

So the way it sits is a bolt that holds your frame together within the BUMPER ZONE is OK. A bolt that holds your lower frame together or a bearing that holds your axle, is not excluded. The only effective way to get around this is to make sure your frame dimensions in the BUMPER ZONE are the largest dimensions of your robot.

Ahhh ok we are on the same page I was thinking he meant that bolt heads in the bumper zone werent allowed... I think I read his item too fast to catch the "outside the bumper zone" as a qualifier... Im tired and Im not even in Rochester!! lol.

[Wayne Doenges]

Just a few to add to Al's excellent post.

1) Remove all sharp edges from bot. I don't like to see any blood....especially mine

2) Check all the wiring. You don't want to go to your first regional and find out you used the wrong wire gage

3) ONLY your team number is allowed on the bumpers.

4) Only one motor per speed control.

Good luck this year.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

OK,
Time for another round. (anyone can add to this list)

The robot signal light (the big orange light in the white box) must be mounted and wired on the robot at the time of inspection.

The wireless adapter must be powered from the dedicated power connector on the Power Distribution Board (the PD). You will loose control without this critical power supply connection.

For Rookies and all other interested parties. bring the remainder of your 2010 KOP to the event. You might need something from that box of parts or you may need to trade for something. Be sure to check around your shop or build area to pick up everything that belongs back the kit. If you bring the KOP and have forgotten what I said at the top of this post, then all you have to do is reach in, take out the RSL and add it to your robot.

[RMS11]

Ok, so this causes some problems for us... The way we are set up right now, i guess we break this rule as bolt heads extrude. If the bumper wood is already 3/4" thick, i dont see why first wouldnt allow for .25" extrusions max for bolt heads... Anyway, as it is now, our bumpers have an large, sturdy L bracket that is attached to the bumper perminantly and taps into our frame to attach there. I know that the bumper must rest fully along the frame also. So could we just attach the L bracket instead permentally to the robot (extending out of the frame 1/4 inches, making it a permiant fixture) and then just mount the bumpers onto that? It isnt as structural and is a bit harder to remove and adds weight to our robot, but would this be an acceptable solution?

[GaryVoshol]

Rick, hopefully you have enough space and weight to add a solid strip of something around your FRAME PERIMETER to extend it beyond all those pesky protrusions.

It can't be something added to the BUMPER, because BUMPERS are limited to being built with plywood, pool noodles, cloth and fasteners.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Rick,
L brackets that are used to mount the bumpers on your robot are part of the robot for weight and size under certain circumstances. They are not part of the bumper. L brackets that are part of the bumper (as shown in the bumper diagram) used to secure the fabric are considered part of the bumper and are excluded from robot weight.

<R07> Teams are required to use BUMPERS on their ROBOTS. BUMPERS have several advantages, such as reducing damage to ROBOTS when they contact other ROBOTS or ARENA elements, and being excluded from the calculation of ROBOT weight and volume constraints specified in Rule <R10>.
G. Each set of BUMPERS (including any fasteners and/or structures that attach them to the ROBOT) must weigh no more than 20 pounds.

Please review the rules R07 and R10 and especially ask if you do not understand the definition of FRAME PERIMETER as it is written in the Rev I of the robot rules.

[Bruceb]

So, if we have bolt heads in the bumper zone and bolt heads outside of the bumper zone that are in the same vertical plane the lower ones are not legal even though the max robot size is not exceeded?
Bruce

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by Bruceb

So, if we have bolt heads in the bumper zone and bolt heads outside of the bumper zone that are in the same vertical plane the lower ones are not legal even though the max robot size is not exceeded?

That's the most straightforward interpretation of the rule, yes.

[Bruceb]

Seems kind of rediculous to me. Woudln't the bolt heads define the robot perimeter?
Bruce