BUMPERS ARE INCLUDED IN ROBOT VOLUME THIS YEAR!

[Kevin Sevcik]

Originally Posted by GeeTwo

There's nothing here about using fabricated items which were in another team's bag, only their withholding allowance. The bag rules don't explicitly say that parts of the robot have to be put in that team's bag, but the use of "their robot" and "your robot" throughout R15 to R20 sure makes it read like this is the case.

There's a good Q&A. I can see the ruling going against handing another team bagged parts because why not bag a practice robot and give your third pick a twin? This also has interesting implications for cheesecake climbers....

So who's asking this Q&A? I don't have a login to pester the GDC anymore, so I can't.

[pmattin5459]

Originally Posted by mrnoble

I am bummed about the number of robots that will come to competition this year unable to compete at all. Some years, overweight robots need to get Swiss cheesed, or lose a mechanism. Some years, bumpers need to be reconstructed. How does a team recover when they need to lose ~6" on both X and Y? And then rebuild the bumpers?

We did this by a few inches width wise last year at our first competition. Not fun. Not fun at all. Something about the bumpers on our front not being at least six inches. This required tearing off about half of the stuff on our robot.

[rich2202]

Originally Posted by GeeTwo

There's nothing here about using fabricated items which were in another team's bag, only their withholding allowance.

You could loan COTS stuff to the Spare Parts table ...

[waialua359]

Originally Posted by mrnoble

I am bummed about the number of robots that will come to competition this year unable to compete at all. Some years, overweight robots need to get Swiss cheesed, or lose a mechanism. Some years, bumpers need to be reconstructed. How does a team recover when they need to lose ~6" on both X and Y? And then rebuild the bumpers?

This should be in the weekly updates from now until week 1 events. The ramifications of not following this will make it very tough for everyone on practice day! Time to bring our spare AMU kits.

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by waialua359

This should be in the weekly updates from now until week 1 events. The ramifications of not following this will make it very tough for everyone on practice day! Time to bring our spare AMU kits.

Unfortunately, if they didn't read the rules, it's unlikely that they will read the updates.

We've had size changes before - didn't the total size go down when they switched to measuring the perimeter? And there was a year where your height changed per your weight. (Although I admit that's easier to fix than the horizontal sizes.)

And teams have shown up oversize before, with or without a size change. Or have had totally out of compliance moving frame parts. Even a team that showed up with their original kit of parts, nothing built. And they get to compete after a lot of good assistance from other teams in the pits.

[GeeTwo]

Q360 answered.

Q360: May a robot include fabricated items from another team's tagged bag?
R21 specifically allows teams to use fabricated items from another team's withholding allowance, but not from their robot bag (or bags). R15 through R20 do not appear to explicitly forbid use of fabricated items from another team's bag, but the use of "their robot" and "your robot" throughout these rules imply that the parts in a team's bag may only be used on their robot. May a robot include fabricated items from another team's tagged bag?

Answer: Yes, a ROBOT element that was bagged "by 04:59 UTC on Stop Build Day, Wednesday, February 22, 2017" meets the requirements of R15 regardless of which Team's bag it was in.

Carry on! Cheesecake is not just for dessert!

[bowmanb]

This happened to my team our rookie year. We were 1/8 of an inch too wide in X and Y (As the lone mentor, I thought it best to make as big a bot as we could!) When we didn't fit in that blasted box we had to tear down and cut an inch in both dimensions (C-channel kit bot - 2012). It was a cascading nightmare. By the time we got the thing back together and inspected, it was Saturday morning. We "participated" in exactly 3 matches that year.

FRC almost lost me right there. We need to do what we can to warn rookies of these constraints.

[Jon Stratis]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

We've had size changes before - didn't the total size go down when they switched to measuring the perimeter? And there was a year where your height changed per your weight. (Although I admit that's easier to fix than the horizontal sizes.)

Yes, that was in Ultimate Ascent. I had 2 teams at each of my events show up having built their robots on the previous year's frame. All of them got 10" cut off the front and reassembled. We managed to get them to all of their matches, but needless to say, their robot performance was not what they wanted when we were done making changes.

It was easier to make these changes with the old C-channel chassis, as that used chain to power all the wheels. Chain is easy to modify and make shorter. With the current robot chassis and most teams using belts with it... that's going to be more difficult. But hey, there's nothing in the rules that says your drive train has to be functional for you to pass inspection and get points for "participating" in a match.

Hopefully inspection teams at all events can be focused and creative in getting teams legal to compete, and then once legal getting them functional again so they don't miss out on any possible points in matches.

[Andy Baker]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

OP is potentially trying to win that AndyMark prize in a creative way.

Originally Posted by efoote868

That is trolling, in the most classic sense. Well played OP.

Since we have almost ZERO entries on this contest, the OP has a good chance of winning.

This $250 AndyMark credit could be easy money!!!

C'mon, people, let's see entries to this G04 / R03 Robot Volume Contest!

Sincerely,
Andy B.

[Bob Steele]

Originally Posted by frcguy

Huh... alright. We'll maybe bring one or two assembled kitbots to SF and SVR if it has the potential to help out some rookies.

Be careful, read above regarding bagged vs withholding allowance...
Assemble kitbots would be considered part of your withholding allowance...if not in a bag.

I believe that you can freely exchange withholding materials and COTS but not what is in your bag...After reading QA 360 I am wrong on this... evidently you may use what is in your bag for another team..... just remember you are limited to 2 bags.

You GP is showing... but be careful... You can always bring in an unassembled kitbot...as COTS... without BAGGING and it will not count against the withholding allowance

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by Andy Baker

Since we have almost ZERO entries on this contest, the OP has a good chance of winning.

This $250 AndyMark credit could be easy money!!!

C'mon, people, let's see entries to this G04 / R03 Robot Volume Contest!

Sincerely,
Andy B.

Please consider OP entered!

[mrnoble]

My kids are editing their video right now. We hadn't met since Saturday so this is our first real chance to work on it. It looks like fun! Hopefully they make it in by the deadline.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Everyone,
If a team comes in over size please do not take it upon yourself to make any changes. Please involve the LRI who will help the team make decisions and then move on. They are in direct contact with the Head Ref, FTA and others at HQ who can best handle situations involving teams. All LRIs have my cell phone number and I have several other people I can turn to.
Thanks.

[SCOfATeam]

Then, does anyone know why this rule was implemented for this year?

[EricH]

Originally Posted by SCOfATeam

Then, does anyone know why this rule was implemented for this year?

You'll have to ask the GDC. Or Frank.

PERSONALLY, I see it as a throwback to the days of the sizing box: If your robot fit, you were good. Otherwise, the inspectors would show you which bolt you needed to cut off. Many teams learned--the hard way--that the box was absolute, and designed about 1/2" or 1" undersized. It was actually relatively easy to measure, if it was set up (properly).

The sizing box went away in 2013, as I recall.