We have ours screen printed on.
Cass
Oink Oink BOOM!:ahh:
Ummm, don’t you mean “Holy Cow!!!”?
At least Wildstang has it easy to realign the numbers if their robot flips over!
I think you mean “Oink! Oink! MOO-O-O-O-BB!” 
On the topic of numbering bumpers… (Only because I’m not good with puns)
816 has embroidered their bumpers for the last two years and they hold up very well. We have access to a Computer Controlled Embroidery Machine that makes quick work of our bumper markings at our school - you can probably find a local company that’d be willing to do them for minimal cost. Usually places that deal in custom sports gear have the capability to do this.
If anyone would like to see what I’m talking about, just look at pictures of either 816’s 2008 or 2009 robots.
Al, You could always try to do tyed-sye fabric with different shades of blue and white for the blue bumpers, and same for the red. And maybe do white numbers outlined in black. (Just a suggetion.)
I’m windering though, if some teams may go through another company for expense-saving and it would be a different shade? Or is it actually required for this one site?
There are at least 2 mail-order companies with Cordura, and they have slightly different colors. There is no official sponsor/supplier of fabric.
As long as your red isn’t pink or purple, and as long as your blue isn’t light sky-blue or so dark navy as to look black, you should meet the “reasonable” color match criteria. At least in my reasonable opinion.
That’s what I mean, what if the blue alliance comes on the field with like, a sky blue, another cornflower blue, and then a navy blue?
I think it’ll be pretty obvious that the Blue Alliance will not be Red.
Yes well, I am Captain Obvious. But would it matter then?
Well there goes our strategy!
hi
i am from team 3132 (AUS)
i was wondering what are people using to keep the bumper connected all together.
and how many layers of fabric are we allowed to use for the colours…
It practically says all you need to know right in the manual, the part about bumpers (don’t have the time to pull it up and find the exact one).
Plywood backing, aluminum angle (optional, but really helpful) for the edges of the fabric, screws/nails to hold that.
Unless you’re talking about attaching the bumper to the robot. In which case we’re doing bolts and wing nuts.
You really only need to use one layer of fabric for the bumper fabric. I don’t remember any case where a bumper has had any problems (puncturing, tearing, anything) with the fabric. I don’t think there’s a rule stipulating how many layers you can use, but one is enough.
Section 8, <R07>. Read it thoroughly; it impacts your frame design too.
As for how many layers of fabric you can use: if you’re using more than one, and you don’t have bumper covers, you have too many. It’s quite common for bumpers to go a full season and never need patching, especially now that all robots have to have them.
Remember, for the colors, you can either have a second identical set of bumpers, or you can have a set of covers that you put over the bumpers.
Rihan,
The bumper sections do not need to be attached to each other as long as they are attached firmly to the robot frame. A big part of the bumper check is that there be no hard parts in the corners where the bumpers meet. The diagrams in the bumper section of the manual are very specific about what is allowed and what is not.
Hi Al,
I feel your pain about the bumpers. We were one of the first to use the bumber area for team numbers and team sponsor’s logo. It’s a great area for the sponor’s and robot names. Oh well I will just have to “GO WITH THE FLO”.
I was thinking like… 2 yards of each color? Which at Seattle Fabrics would be 72" x 60" wide. Would that not be enough to cover everything?
I see folks are doing screen printing of team numbers on bumpers. Has anyone found a vendor of pre-cut numbers in the 4" height and 3/4" stroke width requirements?
Which blue is everyone going with, that is closest to the FIRST Logo? My supplier shows a Royal Blue, and a Mariner Blue. They look the same on my monitor.
How much is left over after making the bumpers?