Hello everyone,
The bolts we use for connecting our wheel holders are stepping a little bit outside of our robot’s frame, to which we connect our bumpers. The screws are INSIDE the Bumper Zone. Is that legal?
Thnaks in advance,
Team Artemis, 3083.
As far as I know, that is ok. Just to be safe, you can always ask the Q&A folks over on the FIRST forum.
There has been a lot of discussion about this, as well as two rule updates (6 and 7)
http://usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/content.aspx?id=450
Bolts in the BUMPER ZONE can stick out of the FRAME PERIMETER, and you can make small holes in the back of the bumpers to fit the bumpers over the bolts.
Bolts above or below the BUMPER ZONE can NOT stick out past the FRAME PERIMETER.
I also recommend looking at the FIRST Q&A before concluding anything … especially because my interpretation of the rules differs from the poster above *the post above *me.
It is my understanding that bolt-head penetrations of the frame perimeter are only allowed within the bumper zone, not below it as your picture appears to show.
Using the definition of the FRAME PERIMETER (page 4/5 of Ch 8), the polygon is defined within the bumper zone, so if your bolt-heads are below the bumper zone, but outside the FP, it might not be legal.
If I’m right, and I’m not sure that I am, is it possible for you to offset your bumpers 1/2" outwards to account for these fasteners?
Definitely read through the Q&A
http://forums.usfirst.org/forumdisplay.php?f=1353
(but how does your interpretation differ from mine?)
You sqeezed your reply in before mine … I was aiming at the poster above you. 
I’ll go back and edit it.
PS: I’d like to know your opinion to my post in the “Kicking Clarification” thread …
If the frame your bumper mounts to is even with the extruded aluminum in that shot, then those bolt heads are illegal. Your only real option that I can see is to expand your frame perimeter by putting thick enough strip material around your frame where your bumpers are mounting.
Yes, thi is probably silly, but the GDC declares it, and we obey.
Gentlemen, the OP posted this: “The screws are INSIDE the Bumper Zone.”
Taking that literally, there is no problem. According to Q&A and the Updates 6 & 7, you can have screws sticking out in the Bumper Zone. You cannot have them above or below.
Where I do see an issue is that the bumpers may not be fully backed by frame material–the frame will be about 1/16" off, at a guess. Time for a lightweight shim between the wheel brackets.
This is not true, the rules say into the bumpers not into free space. This was in a team update.
That’s what I meant.