If you were to (intentionally, and by design) change the angle of an otherwise fixed shooting mechanism in between matches (for example, by exchanging out gussets), would this be in violation of any rules?
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No so long as you got reinspected
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I think it depends on how you do it.
If you change parts - you’d need to be reinspected.
If your mechanism could, by changing, exceed the height limit - you’d need to be reinspected.
If you demonstrate to the inspector at initial inspection that the angle can be adjusted, manually, by (for example) moving a screw from one hole to another in a fixed bracket and that the range of adjusting motion was within legal limits - then IMO changing the angle would not require reinspection.
my $0.02
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Get reinspected, and everything is good! The reinspection should be pretty quick, we just look at the change itself and what it impacts in terms of the robot rules (in this case, things like starting configuration or robot height may be impacted).
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Thank you all!
Would it be possible to just be inspected in those two configurations right off the bat? In this situation if it is just an angle change, it would seem relatively straight forward to pass a team for both configs, no?
Not that this question is relevant to 177’s robot, but I’m just curious on your take of this one.
Shouldn’t it be possible to present the full set of different gussets (in the OP’s example) at initial inspection and then be able to exchange them freely without needing reinspection? That seems to be a provision of Rule I104, falling under exception F.
F. additions, removals, or reconfiguration of ROBOT with a subset of MECHANISMS already inspected per [I103]
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@Akash_Rastogi @Strategic Yes, that is possible per RI103, assuming it meets the weight limit imposed within that rule.
Frankly, ever since the multiple configuration language in R103 was added, I don’t think I’ve actually seen a team utilize it in person. It’s much more likely for the sort of scenario described by the OP to happen in a more ad-hoc fashion at an event, with a team inspecting, finding an issue during competition, and making an unplanned change mid-event (even if the design intentionally allowed for such a change like described in the OP).
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I always like this rule because it reminds me of FLL teams bringing 5-6 elaborate mechanisms that slide onto the robot frame and all connect to the same motor using a single dog gear.
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Love all the responses here!
In my head I was thinking about a situation like this…
Having the ability to change between (for example) a 60 degree shooter and 45 degree shooter and a 25 degree shooter in an intentionally strategic fashion in between matches. Something along the lines of (again, for example) “hey our alliance partners all shoot close, let’s use our long range configuration so we don’t get congested” or “our next opponents have a great defender, let’s use the configuration that allows us to shoot from near the protected zone near the amp”
Based on the responses here, this does sound like this is legal if we get reinspected?
RE: Strategics comment, could one simply present all configurations at initial inspection, have each individually inspected, and then be able to use those in matches without separate re-inspection each time?
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Yes to all, as long as they fit within the rules.
There could be ways to do it in a single part setup…
This thread has been a great read for configurable stuff rules, although some of it isn’t relevant anymore: 1519 - One Dual-Config Robot or Two Robots?
You can do this, but remember what @Jon_Stratis noted about the rule on inspection: everything must be inspected and weighed at the initial inspection and you can’t go over the weight limit with the total of pieces. That is higher than the robot is allowed by itself (150lbs for the robot and all the mechanisms vs 125lbs for the robot as it goes onto the field.) If you’re just replacing something like the shooter mounts, that will probably be doable. If you’re replacing the entire shooter in each configuration, that would likely (but not certainly) put you over the 150lb weight limit. Be careful and make sure that what you plan fits within the rules.
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