Notes from an Inspector - Save some grief and read!

FIRST General Forum
1

Posted by Mark Pierce at 03/09/2001 9:12 PM EST

Other on team #288, RoboDAWGS, from Grandville High School and X-Rite, Delphi, and others.

I spent all of yesterday and part of today inspecting robots as part of the “Pit Tech Crew”. Here are some common observations and recommendations for teams to get through the inspection process. I want to thank all the teams for their help and willingness to fix discrepencies.

How to avoid common violations:
Insulate battery terminals or other connections.

Electrically isolate the light from the robot.

Avoid tape as a fastener. It’s OK for electrical insulation but looks tacky for holding things together. Use wire ties or other means to keep wires neat and orderly.

Use the right size fuses and wires.

Have a copy of your list of Small Parts Inc. items and cost. Although you may have submitted it electronically, you may have added things, or it may have gotten lost in the FIRST system. It helps to know what items are kit pieces and additional hardware as well.

Students should know the electrical systems, pnuematics, and the parts usage of the system. Inspectors will ask them to explain these items. A wiring diagram or list showing fuse and wire sizes speeds things immensely, as would a piping diagram.

Smooth out sharp edges. You don’t want to break balls in competition and get penalized. Break one, no big deal, break two, there’ll likely be some penalty.

These are things we found repeatedly. I also recommend weigh in and inspecting sooner rather than later. Once you’re assembled, checking size and weight early is better than waiting until after dinner. Even if you have to be re-inspected or re- weighed due to changes, you’ll avoid finding yourselves 6 pounds overweight 15 minutes before the pits close. (Yes, that happened)

I wish you the best of luck, wherever you next compete!

2

Posted by nick237 at 03/09/2001 11:17 PM EST

Engineer on team #237, sie h2o bots, from Watertown high school ct and sieman co.

In Reply to: Notes from an Inspector - Save some grief and read!
Posted by Mark Pierce on 03/09/2001 9:12 PM EST:

We should all try to help the inspectors as much as possible, it will make things go much faster.
Some helpful hints… Make sure there are no sharp edges or points that can puncture a ball, I know its hard to do on a machine that is designed and fabricated by students and volunteers during as many hours that they can spare every evening in under 6 weeks but “BALL” safety should be made a top priority.
Look for screws that are buried deep inside your machine that could damage a 30" ball that has some how managed to imbed itself in an area the size of your fist.
Make sure that no parts of your robot can be broken off or fall off during a game or a referee will tell a student driver that his team will be disqualified if it happens again?, no one wants that hanging over his head as he tries to play “the game”.
These simple checks can save you a lot of grief and pain, we all know FIRST is a kinder, gentler FIRST and has your best intrests at heart. so try to help the inspectors as much as possible.
nick237

: I spent all of yesterday and part of today inspecting robots as part of the “Pit Tech Crew”. Here are some common observations and recommendations for teams to get through the inspection process. I want to thank all the teams for their help and willingness to fix discrepencies.

: How to avoid common violations:
: Insulate battery terminals or other connections.

: Electrically isolate the light from the robot.

: Avoid tape as a fastener. It’s OK for electrical insulation but looks tacky for holding things together. Use wire ties or other means to keep wires neat and orderly.

: Use the right size fuses and wires.

: Have a copy of your list of Small Parts Inc. items and cost. Although you may have submitted it electronically, you may have added things, or it may have gotten lost in the FIRST system. It helps to know what items are kit pieces and additional hardware as well.

: Students should know the electrical systems, pnuematics, and the parts usage of the system. Inspectors will ask them to explain these items. A wiring diagram or list showing fuse and wire sizes speeds things immensely, as would a piping diagram.

: Smooth out sharp edges. You don’t want to break balls in competition and get penalized. Break one, no big deal, break two, there’ll likely be some penalty.

: These are things we found repeatedly. I also recommend weigh in and inspecting sooner rather than later. Once you’re assembled, checking size and weight early is better than waiting until after dinner. Even if you have to be re-inspected or re- weighed due to changes, you’ll avoid finding yourselves 6 pounds overweight 15 minutes before the pits close. (Yes, that happened)

: I wish you the best of luck, wherever you next compete!