FRA Rules

The place to post any questions or suggestions you may have about the current FRA build rules and guidelines held here:

http://www.fightingrobots.co.uk/rules.htmhttp://www.fightingrobots.co.uk/rules.htm

Please feel free to comment, were always looking for new views in order that these rules can continue to develop.

FRA Forum Admin
FRA Safety committee

That link seems to not work, should it be

http://www.fightingrobots.co.uk/buildrules.htmhttp://www.fightingrobots.co.uk/buildrules.htm

perhaps?

Well done Rich..

Doh!

Sam
http://www.shredderteam.comhttp://www.shredderteam.com
http://www.robotcrusade.comhttp://www.robotcrusade.com

Just been reading them and noticed a slight issue -

6.4 All [non-antweight] robots must be fitted with on-off switches that operate both radio receiver and drive/weapon circuits...

This differs from the Robot Wars wording which says on-off switches or removeable links.

Does this mean we have to fit a switch capable of carrying the all the power required for the robot, in addition to the link(s)? This could be quite a large switch on some robots.

I would aggree with the switch for the reciever, but switched for weapons could get a little silly.

Everybodys link is one big on / off switch surely and should be sufficient.

Must be wrong???
JOnno
http://www.roamingrobots.co.ukwww.roamingrobots.co.uk

Isnt this supposed to be an on-off switch on the transmitter ? We try to incorporate one on every robot we work with, just for safety.

Id think it only says that the main power AND the auxilliary power (if there is a second battery for e.g. the reciever) must both be switcheable.
This is also in the RW rules.

Holger, if I read you right you are saying that main power must be switchable? Unless you count the link, I have never seen a physical switch for the drive or weapons power on a robot, and I passed the tech check at series 7 without one.

Or are you saying that switching off receiver power must immoblise the robot? That is in both sets of rules, but it wouldnt say such a situation counts as a switch for the main power.

Jim, I am taking the removeable link as a switch, which it is in electrical terms.
So normally, the RL will cut the main supply (drive and weapon), the aux switch cuts the aux supply (if you use one and whatever you feed with it).
In our robot we use a kind of remote switch: If the main power is switched off (by pulling the RL), the small battery (for the receiver and, in our case, the pneumatic valves) is shut down electronically. You of course could as well use a relay for that. This avoids the switch in addition to the RL.

Hmm...
After having a look at the rules 6.3. and 6.4. sound a bit confusing to me:

6.3.
All [...] Robots must
incorporate a way of removing all power to weapons and drive systems (systems that could cause
potential human bodily injury) that can be activated easily without...

6.4.
All [...] Robots must be
fitted with on-off switches that operate both radio receiver and drive/weapon circuits - in practice totally removing all power from the Robot.

6.3. says that only drive and weapon system power needs to be switched, whereas 6.4. states that everything needs to be powered down. Or does that mean that only drive and weapon need to have that easily-option...?