To all of the teams that are using tank treads this year,
The manual says that the robot must be surrounded by a frame in section 4.2. my question is, how are you covering the treads to work for this rule? Also, do the treads count as part of the frame?
The treads are the drivetrain. The drivetrain is the frame.
Does that mean we are able to have wheels sticking in front of the bumpers? As in, can we have wheels on the outside of the robot without covering it with bumpers?
No, this is not legal, unless it extends out post match start within the horizontal 15 inches limit.
G18 ROBOTS may not extend more than 15 in. beyond their FRAME PERIMETER.
Violation: FOUL. If repeated, offending ROBOT will be DISABLED.
STARTING CONFIGURATION
the physical configuration and orientation of the ROBOT when the MATCH is started.
This is the state of the ROBOT immediately before being Enabled by the Field
Management System, before the ROBOT takes any actions, deploys any mechanisms,
or moves away from the starting location. This configuration is static, and does not
change during a single MATCH (although it may change from MATCH to MATCH). In
the STARTING CONFIGURATION, no part of the ROBOT may extend outside the
vertical projection of the FRAME PERIMETER, with the exception of minor protrusions
such as bolt heads, fastener ends, rivets, etc.
R2 The ROBOT must have a FRAME PERIMETER, contained within the BUMPER ZONE, that is
comprised of fixed, non-articulated structural elements of the ROBOT. Minor protrusions no greater
than ¼ in. such as bolt heads, fastener ends, and rivets are not considered part of the FRAME
PERIMETER.
R4 In the STARTING CONFIGURATION (the physical configuration in which a ROBOT starts a MATCH),
no part of the ROBOT shall extend outside the vertical projection of the FRAME PERIMETER, with
the exception of minor protrusions such as bolt heads, fastener ends, rivets, etc.
They can stick in front of the bumpers if they don’t /start/ in front of the bumpers. They must be contained within the frame perimeter, per R4. However, you could get away with it if it’s only extending 1/4" outside of the robot.