Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2002 16:34:07 EST
Subject: Fwd: [FRCtech2002] Digest Number 44



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There are 21 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

      1. Clarification on spare parts
           From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
      2. RE:  speed control
           From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
      3. RE  Fastner specification
           From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
      4. RE:  Sponge
           From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
      5. Rubber Bands  PLEASE ANSWER IMMEDIATELY !!!!!!!!!
           From: "mike8462000" <mike8462000@yahoo.com>
      6. Re: Rubber Bands  PLEASE ANSWER IMMEDIATELY !!!!!!!!!
           From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
      7. RE:  Servos ?????
           From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
      8. Operator controls.
           From: "lt_smidgie" <penguinmilitia@aol.com>
      9. Re: Operator controls.
           From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
     10. Drayage and Yearbook
           From: "head2121" <head2121@yahoo.com>
     11. Re: Drayage and Yearbook
           From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
     12. RE:  Globe Motors and Relays
           From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
     13. Machine shop specifics
           From: "vanduynk" <vanduynk@yahoo.com>
     14. Re: Machine shop specifics
           From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
     15. RE: RE:  Globe Motors and Relays
           From: Gabriel Gary M NPRI <gabrielgm@npt.nuwc.navy.mil>
     16. RE:  Extra Supplies
           From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
     17. On Pneumatic Cylinders being used for air storage
           From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
     18. Re: shipping 2nd crate
           From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
     19. Yearbook pages
           From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
     20. RE: chairmans Award
           From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
     21. RE: Frontpage and Netscape
           From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>


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Message: 1
   Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 11:35:18 -0000
   From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
Subject: Clarification on spare parts

Teams have been posting questions regarding manufacturing spare 
parts after the 6 week build period.  Team update 6 came out 
yesterday with a rule update for this issue.  You may download Team 
Update 6 at http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/doc_art3.htm

You have until the Wednesday midnight FOLLOWING an event to 
fabricate new parts and mechanisms.  However, you can only fabricate 
or repair parts ON-SITE while the robot is at an event.  You may 
bring the mechanisms and parts with you to any subsequent events, 
but you have to ship ALL robot parts at an event directly to any 
subsequent events.

Here is the exact rule update:

"In order to better allow teams to replace robot components that 
fail or do not work well at competition events, FIRST had decided to 
alter it's policy regarding fabrication of parts when the robot is 
out of team hands.

Previously, the policy was that all fabrication of parts and 
mechanisms must stop when the robot is out of team hands.  The new 
policy is that AFTER each event in which a team participates, the 
team has until the end of the following Wednesday (midnight local 
time) to fabricate NEW parts and mechanisms, and may bring these 
parts and mechanisms to any subsequent events.  As before, we must 
rely on the GRACIOUS PROFESSIONALISM of teams to adhere to the rules 
of the FIRST Robotics Competition.

Unchanged is the policy that teams may not perform part fabrication 
or repair of parts off-site when the robot is at an event (i.e. not 
taking parts back to your hotel), and that teams must ship all robot 
parts at an event site directly to any subsequent.  Also, teams are 
allowed to purchase raw materials (wheels, gears, metal stock, etc.) 
and bring them to event sites in preparation to fabricate custom 
parts or mechanisms on-site at events.

Example:  Team A is attending two regional events.  At their first 
event, their robot breaks a gearbox.  Team A must ship their robot 
and all it's parts directly to the next event site they will be 
competing at.  However, Team A has until midnight Wednesday 
following the event to fabricate a new gearbox and bring it with 
them to their next event."

-FIRST KL





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Message: 2
   Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 11:55:16 -0000
   From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
Subject: RE:  speed control

>How can we modify the default program to slow our motor down?

A)  Yes.

-FIRST KL




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Message: 3
   Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 12:00:16 -0000
   From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
Subject: RE  Fastner specification

>This may be obvious but are Nylon Zip ties allowable as fastners?

>How about Duct tape as a fastner, or Black tape?

A)  Nylon Zip ties are allowable as fasteners.
    Tapes CANNOT be used as fasteners.




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Message: 4
   Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 12:08:09 -0000
   From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
Subject: RE:  Sponge

>Would you count a sponge on the extended hardware list as a 
>bumper or shock exorber?

A)  Since sponge isn't on the additional hardware list, you may only 
use it as a bumper, as long as you follow rule M18 and only mount it 
in a region from 2" to 8" above the playing field.  Also, if you 
punch the sponge and not hurt your hand, than it is allowed.  
Remember, the bumpers may not contain "hard" material.

-FIRST KL




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Message: 5
   Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 13:06:54 -0000
   From: "mike8462000" <mike8462000@yahoo.com>
Subject: Rubber Bands  PLEASE ANSWER IMMEDIATELY !!!!!!!!!

Can a rubber band be considered a fastner and if so can we use any 
size and amount




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Message: 6
   Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 15:03:40 -0000
   From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Rubber Bands  PLEASE ANSWER IMMEDIATELY !!!!!!!!!

> Can a rubber band be considered a fastner and if so can we use any 
> size and amount
A) As per the additional hardware list, Under Fastners
Rubber band, Large- 3-1/2" x 1/4" wide, Up to 5. or
rubber band, small- 3-1/2" x 1/8" wide, up to 5.
first-t 




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Message: 7
   Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 15:05:23 -0000
   From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
Subject: RE:  Servos ?????

>Our two servos arrived with different plastic 'actuators' attached 
>to te shaft. One is the red 'X' and the other is a white gear.
>Is it permissable to replace one of these and use two that are 
>identical? (We're aimimg at two red 'X's)

A)  Yes.  There is a small bag of attachments in the kit that are 
specifically used on the servos.  




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Message: 8
   Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2002 23:28:41 -0000
   From: "lt_smidgie" <penguinmilitia@aol.com>
Subject: Operator controls.

Is  it ok if we use one of the black plastic boxes that FIRST 
provided us for the operator controls from the previous years for 
our operator control box this year?

Thanks.




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Message: 9
   Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 15:14:57 -0000
   From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Operator controls.

> Is  it ok if we use one of the black plastic boxes that FIRST 
> provided us for the operator controls from the previous years for 
> our operator control box this year?
> 
A) NO.  This is not allowed.  
first-t




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Message: 10
   Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 00:49:11 -0000
   From: "head2121" <head2121@yahoo.com>
Subject: Drayage and Yearbook

Where can we find the drayage information, like shipping addresses  
for the regional and national competitions? Also where is the 
template for the yearbook page?




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Message: 11
   Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 15:22:53 -0000
   From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Drayage and Yearbook

> Where can we find the drayage information, like shipping addresses  
> for the regional and national competitions? 

A) Please go to the FIRST website, (http://www.usfirst.org)
Select the link Robotics Competition -> from the left side bar on this 
page select the link regional events.  Under each regional event is a 
link for Site info. The Site info link contains the drayage 
information.


Also where is the template for the yearbook page?

A) The team yearbook page is part of the team registration system.

---
FIRST MRT




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Message: 12
   Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 15:31:03 -0000
   From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
Subject: RE:  Globe Motors and Relays

>Can I put globe motors on relays?
>
>Can I put two globe motors on one speed control/Relay?
>
>Could you clarify at what time the light must be on, and what time 
>it must be off?

A)  No.  The glove motors may only be powered by the Speed 
Controllers.  See Rule C11.

A)  No.  No more than one Globe motor may be powered by each Speed 
Controller.

A)  The light must be connected in such a way that it turns on when 
the robot is enabled and off when it is disabled.

-FIRST KL




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Message: 13
   Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 07:01:38 -0000
   From: "vanduynk" <vanduynk@yahoo.com>
Subject: Machine shop specifics

We were wondering what kind of equipment can be expected at the
regional(specifically St. Charles) and the Championships in the
machine shop.  The rules state that a machine shop will be available
and all grinding welding etc.. should take place there but what tools
will be provided if any??  welder, end mill, bench, vise, angle
grinder, bench grinder, drill press, A-OX torch, lathe etc.. I relize
that the available tools may vary between sights but a general idea
would be helpful for trip planning.

Thanks




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Message: 14
   Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 15:38:52 -0000
   From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Machine shop specifics


> We were wondering what kind of equipment can be expected at the
> regional(specifically St. Charles) and the Championships in the
> machine shop.  The rules state that a machine shop will be available
> and all grinding welding etc.. should take place there but what 
tools
> will be provided if any??  welder, end mill, bench, vise, angle
> grinder, bench grinder, drill press, A-OX torch, lathe etc.. I 
relize
> that the available tools may vary between sights but a general idea
> would be helpful for trip planning.
> 
A)  Each site will be different, but the following list is a sample of 
what we ask each site to provide if possible.  Remember, this is just 
a general list and NOT everything will be available.  
first-t

Milling Machine - Bridgeport-type
Engine Laths - approx. 18" (minimum)
Acetylene Torches
Drill Bits (letter size, number size,fractional sizes up to 3/4")
Taps (4-40,6-32,10-32, ¹ - 20, 1/2-20,1/2-13, ²  - 10)
End Mills (1/8-1/2 two and four flute)
Sandpaper, various grafts
Center Drills
High Speed Steel Tool Bits 3/8
Kant Twist Clamps, 11/2 up to 6
Arc Welding
Grinders
Wire Wheels
Band Saws
Metal Files 





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Message: 15
   Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 10:33:41 -0500
   From: Gabriel Gary M NPRI <gabrielgm@npt.nuwc.navy.mil>
Subject: RE: RE:  Globe Motors and Relays

FYI, looks like the docker winch that uses a Globe motor has to run off a Victor and not a Spike. 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: frcengineers [SMTP:frcengineers@yahoo.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2002 10:31 AM
> To:   FRCtech2002@yahoogroups.com
> Subject:  [FRCtech2002] RE:  Globe Motors and Relays
> 
> >Can I put globe motors on relays?
> >
> >Can I put two globe motors on one speed control/Relay?
> >
> >Could you clarify at what time the light must be on, and what time 
> >it must be off?
> 
> A)  No.  The glove motors may only be powered by the Speed 
> Controllers.  See Rule C11.
> 
> A)  No.  No more than one Globe motor may be powered by each Speed 
> Controller.
> 
> A)  The light must be connected in such a way that it turns on when 
> the robot is enabled and off when it is disabled.
> 
> -FIRST KL
> 
> 
> 
> 
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Message: 16
   Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 21:07:48 -0000
   From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
Subject: RE:  Extra Supplies

>Do we have to send our tools and extra supplies with the robot or 
>can we take them to the regional ourselves.

A)  You may take them to the regional yourself.

-FIRST KL




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Message: 17
   Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 22:29:02 -0000
   From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
Subject: On Pneumatic Cylinders being used for air storage

Many questions on this. Yes, teams can use the allowed pneumatic 
cylinders for storage of air, and yes, this can be done prior to the 
start of a match. If it's on the high-pressure side of the regulator, 
it can be used for storage only, and the rod needs to be in the "in" 
position, when pressurized.

FIRST MW




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Message: 18
   Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 22:40:37 -0000
   From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: shipping 2nd crate

Q: Our team wishes to sent a 2nd crate to the UTC New England Regional 
on April 4th.  This crate will comply with all the crate build and 
                shipping instructions.  We will sent our 1st crate, 
with our robot on 
                the "out-of-hands" date on February 19th.

                Section 16.4, line 2 states "There are specified times 
and dates that 
                your robot must leave you hands and arrrive at the 
drayage site."  May 
                we sent a 2nd crate of tools after the 19th as long as 
it gets to 
                drayage by the "receive by date"?  If the answer is 
yes, then when 
                does this 2nd crate have to arrive at drayage by for 
the New Emgland UTC Regional?

A: Sorry, no you have to ship all your crates at the same time. The 
spirit of the competition build season of 6 weeks limits this. 
How would FIRST know that the robot was completely contained in the 
first crate, or all that was in the 2nd crate was "tools"? 

FIRST MW




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Message: 19
   Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 22:50:08 -0000
   From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
Subject: Yearbook pages

Yearbook page entry was available early this week through the Team 
system on the web. An email blast was sent out to all team main and 
alternate contacts informing them of this. The team person who has 
handled registration and payment issues this season, over the web, 
would handle the data entry into the system.

FIRST MW




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Message: 20
   Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 23:05:45 -0000
   From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
Subject: RE: chairmans Award

Q: As we all approach the final hours of robot and chairman's award, 
                once again the "rules" and the manner in which they 
will be executed 
                are putting an added strain on teams. While we are 
encouraged to put 
                our chairman's award submission on cd or diskette, 
there is not any 
                guarantee what the judges will have as viewers on 
their computers. 
                Microsoft has graciously given each team wonderful 
programs in order 
                to submit quality work, yet we are told the judges 
will have limited 
                abilities based solely on the computers they will be 
using. If we are 
                to enter a level playing field in the chairman's 
award, can there not 
                be some accomodations made so the judges are given the 
same tools we 
                have as team. Is it too much to ask that the judges 
utilize a 
                computer with the powerpoint capabilities? Also , a 
ten minute 
                presentation created on one computer could run into 
twelve minutes on 
                a slower computer. It seems we are held to some very 
rigid standards 
                for submission, yet we have no guarantee of our 
product being seen in 
                its entirity. Surely there will be some instructions 
given to judges 
                about computer speeds, etc that would cause a program 
to run a little 
                long. As we have spent hours recording sound tracks 
and voice overs, 
                will the computers have speakers? Just need a little 
reassurance that 
                our product will not be tossed aside because of a 
judges limited 
                capabilities.

A: Who said our judges had "limited capabilities"? ;-) Ok, sorry for 
being cute. 

The judges' computers will contain standard media viewing software - 
such as Win Media Player, etc. We will *try* to ensure that they all 
have Powerpoint. They will have speakers available. They're going 
to be laptops, some of them will have no better than 133s in them with 
64mb of memory - it's not great, but we're talking non-profit here. If 
a presentation takes a little bit over 10 minutes to run because it's 
a slower machine, that will be ok. 

We will do what we can to make sure your excellent work does not get 
thrown out because of hardware & software issues. We just ask in 
return that teams please, please, *PLEASE* don't create something that 
requires the power of a G4 running i-everything or a 2Ghz processor 
running the latest version of Adobe Photoshop Deluxe, and then get 
upset at the Regionals when we don't have a top-end machine to run it 
on. It just won't be there - not this year.

FIRST MW




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Message: 21
   Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 23:11:45 -0000
   From: "frcengineers" <frcengineers@yahoo.com>
Subject: RE: Frontpage and Netscape

Q: We have created our chairmen's award using the supplied Frontpage 
                software - it can only be viewed by computers using 
Internet 
                Explorer.  Users with only Netscape will see a blank 
page.

                How can we be assured that the Cleveland Regional 
judges will be able 
                to read our award, created with the software provided 
in our kits?

                #191

A: The judges' computers will be equipped with IE. Please try to make 
sure it doesn't require IE beta 6 service pack 21 released Feb 1 2002, 
if possible.

FIRST MW




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