Answers to questions about General Robot Rules can be found in this section.
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Originally posted by FTC13127Question 1: May we use a vacuum/suction cup mechanism for grabbing glyphs and relics?
Question 2: Can we use a pre-made one if it comes with a robotics kit?
Answer 1: Yes, provided that the vacuum/suction cup does not damage the Scoring Elements.
Answer 2: Yes, it is legal to remove a single degree of freedom part from a commercial off the shelf mechanism and use it on a Robot.
Caution: This post does not address the legality of using a vacuum pump mechanism. A commercial off the shelf vacuum pump is not legal if any of the following apply:
a) If it compresses air in any form it is illegal per rule <RG01>j.
b) If there is more than one degree of freedom (i.e., pistons, valves, etc.) then it is illegal per rule <RM02>.
c) It is not legal if the vacuum pump motor is not listed in rule <RE09>.
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Originally posted by FTC12952Question 1: Our team has been wondering about the sizing of the robot. We have a plan whereby our robot fits in the sizing cube when inspected, but extends outside the 18 inches when holding a glyph at the start on the balancing platform. Is this allowed?
Question 2: If it's not allowed, does the robot have to hold a glyph to start?
Thank you,
FTC Team 12952
Answer 1: No. The Robot is required to be no larger than an 18-inch cube when it is waiting for the Autonomous Period to start. The pre-loaded Glyph may extend outside the 18-inch volume constraint; however, Robot parts may not extend outside the 18-inch starting volume constraint. See rule <RG02> in the Game Manual Part 1 and rule <G3> in the Game Manual Part 2 for the complete details.
Answer 2: The Robot is not required to "hold" the pre-loaded Glyph; contact with the Robot is acceptable. The pre-Match setup requirements described in the Game Manual Part 2, section 1.5.1 requires the pre-loaded Glyph to be in contact with the Robot.
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Originally posted by FTC4042Subject: Extendable Arm
Q: Our robot uses a rigidly attached extendable arm for intake, driven by two mecanum wheels on the field while the robot is stationary instead of being driven from the robot. This is intended simply to allow the arm to be lighter because it doesn't need to bear as much weight. It is not a "tether" as detailed in <G14> because it is attached by a scissor lift which can only pivot in one axis and is dependent upon being rigidly attached to the robot in order to work and move (i.e arm portion has a very important mechanical function and is not simply for delivering power to the robot: it constrains the mecanum system to the robot so that it has few enough degrees of freedom to be controllable, holds the end of the arm up so it doesn't fall over, and also allows the arm to retract back into the robot effectively) but we still would like to check to make sure.
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Originally posted by FTC7351Subject: Team Number Placement
Q: Traditional FIRST Tech Challenge configurations for robots have team numbers placed on the side of the robot. Due to some design choices made this year for our team, we would like to have our team number mounted on the top of the chassis of the robot. We believe this option meets the intent of <RG05> and seek confirmation as we believe there is some room for interpretation within <RG05b>. Some believe the 180 degree requirement to be specific to the numbers themselves (hence the placement of numbers on the side of the robot 180 degrees apart) but we believe as written it applies only to the numbers being visible from 180 degrees around the robot.
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Originally posted by FTC7048Subject: Vacuum Pump
Q: According to post: https://ftcforum.usfirst.org/forum/i...1809#post51809 Vacuum/Suction Cups are legal and according to RG01, you cannot compress air. Is creating a small vacuum to remove air from the vacuum cup considered compressed air? We have a syringe and we hooked up the plunger to a linear actuator with a standard motor that pulls the plunger to create the vacuum. Then reversing the motor releases the vacuum to drop the block. There is a simple hose that connects the syringe to the vacuum cup. During this part of the operation, the hose is open to the air and zero pressure or vacuum is stored. When the vacuum cup connects with a block, the driver powers the plunger to create the small vacuum. This is enough to pick it up and place in the cryptobox. Also, the small amount of vacuum created does not damage the blocks. The small vacuum does not damage the field elements and the system is not a closed air system.
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Originally posted by FTC5187Subject: Vacuum Pump
Q: This is more of a clarification for our team. We could not find a vacuum pump that had only one degree of freedom. If we design and build our own vacuum pump with more than one degree of freedom, including the valves and construct our own diaphragm, would it be a legal part? Thanks.
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Originally posted by FTC5187Subject: Rigid Cone
Q: We are seeking clarification of FTC 7048's post on 11-14. We would like to know, if we used a syringe with a sturdy cone instead of a suction cup, if that would be legal. We have tested the system and we can not get pressure to build up more than the original atmospheric pressure we started with.
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Originally posted by FTC12611Subject: Spring Powered Linear Slide
Q: Is it legal for this year's game to build a multi-stage linear slide with the rubber bands or surgical tubing as the force to shoot out the extrusions? The slide can reach up to 50" long and the shootout takes less than a second. Definitely, this will be done within the field perimeter walls before or during the end game. .
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Originally posted by FTC8148Subject: Number Spacing
Q: Our team numbers are going to be spray painted (with a stencil) on the side-plate of our drivetrain. Due to holes in the center of the plate used for motor mounting, the first two and last two numbers are separated by about 6 inches horizontally. Is this legal?
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Originally posted by FTC7048Subject: Vacuum Generators
Q: From previous posts, the Game Design Committee is not concerned with mechanisms that create a small vacuum. But those mechanisms, try to return the negative pressure to zero may have a mode that can cause pressure build up. If the system has a proven way (can be demonstrated during robot inspection) that pressure cannot build up, is that legal? There are multiple solutions to preventing pressure to build such as a one-way valve. Our demonstration can show that blocking the vacuum cups will never allow pressure to build up.
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Originally posted by FTC5501Subject: Sizing Box
Q: We have seen at tournaments where during hardware inspections they are putting the robot inside of the sizing box and then trying to slide a piece of paper between the box and robot. If the paper doesn't fit they aren't passing you. Is this a valid method to verify 18" sizing? We thought as long as the robot wasn't exerting pressure on the box that it could be exactly 18". Not 18" minus the width of a sheet of paper. Thanks!
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Originally posted by FTC9915
Subject: Phone Cover
Q: To access our phone (which looks to the side of the robot), there is a clear plastic cover that is hinged at the top. If/when we needed to access that phone, we swing the cover out and up. There is a magnetic latch at the bottom of the cover to keep it secured during the matches. With the cover closed, our robot fit the 18 inch limiting dimension for robots.
There is a concern that when opening the cover to access the phone the cover exceeds the 18 inch limiting dimension for robots and it might be considered illegal. Of course, the cover was only open during setup (and then, only if there was an initialization problem).
Is such a hinged cover for the robot controller phone legal?
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