Power/failsafe LED

[blazerbotics]

RR does have a electric operated pit now. it was used at aber...thingy, it broke just before our fight but it did work well.

[m2xt]

The inclusion of this link light has caused me some concern and those concerns have been discussed with the FRA. I can only accept that this light is a warning light and does not have a safety function. Its purpose surely is to assist the event officials in their management of the arena / pits. If the majority of event organisers wish to have this light, then it is only right that the FRA adopts this as a requirement as a service to the roboting community.

If an event organiser has alternative procedures to manage the arena / pits then that is their call. If these alternative procedures require specific alterations that are not within the FRA build rules then they may run the risk of having limited numbers of robots attending or having to turn away non-compliant machines.

If I hear an event official say something like €˜that bots safe, the light is out€™ then I will be campaigning for the removal of the light requirement from the rules.

Do not start using relays to drive this lamp, apart from being unnecessary; keep it simple as stated by Geoff. I do support the standardisation on colours, lamp type and circuit.

Just one more thing to say and that is in response to a comment from Roger, just because a ram has been tested to a static pressure test that exceeds the operating pressure does not necessarily make it suitable to use. Consideration has to be given to the dynamic forces that stress the ram when it strokes at violent speeds - the ram assembly on WBC has failed at an open air event and a more recent example is Spawn Again. My recommendation to event organisers is not to accept low pressure rams on high pressure service unless there is a pressure test certificate and action taken to ensure the ram can cope with the dynamic forces.

Paul

[roger_plant]

WBCs ram has never failed.
The only thing that failed was the knuckle joint where it attaches to the flipper. Nothing came off, the flipper stayed attached by its massive reinforced hinges as it was designed to do.
The ram stayed intact, the full pressure gas charge stayed in it and vented correctly as soon as I released the transmitter €œflip up€ button.

The knuckle joint has been replaced by a stronger one.

If people want to make a fuss about a piece of metal failing on a robot then we must all give up building robots now.

For those of you who keep pointing out WBCs €œterrible€ ram failure and assume I am ignorant about ram design and use, I used to design and use them for the aircraft, offshore oil and submarine industries.
I have also used 50,000 psi hydraulics, 6000 psi gas and liquid oxygen military aircraft and professional diving systems, as part of my normal daily work.
I do know about HP gas and fluid systems. It was a requirement for the job.


I did all the calculations concerning the strength of the cylinder wall and other parts, rod, seals, retaining bolts, flow rates, energy and safety margins.
The energy calculations were confirmed as accurate by a professor of applied mathematics using data taken from WBC flipping Axe Awe in RW series 5.
I was 2% out on the energy calculation, everything else, force, speed and acceleration was spot on.

WBCs ram has adjustable dynamic gas cushions at both ends to decelerate it, and its load, well within the safety limits of the materials it is made from.
They are not just bits of rubber or springs as I have seen on several other robot flippers.
These are regularly inspected and serviced as is the whole ram and gas valves.
The person most likely to get hurt if WBCs ram goes wrong is me, when I am testing it in my workshop, so you can see I have a particular interest in its integrity.

The general attitude seems to be to €œnit pick€ at peoples work and highlight their failures without knowing much about them or the failure itself.

If we all made robots that never broke we would be making boring dinky toys.

Robots do fail and fall apart, that is what makes the entertaining.
If they never broke then every battle would end in a draw after five minutes.

It is only when they nearly hurt people that we must question their design.

When they fly apart in the RW fight box they are doing exactly what the RW producers wanted them to do.

WBC and most of the top robots were designed to work specifically within the RW bullet proof fight box.
That was designed to contain them whatever failed, or was smashed, and always has.
WBC has rarely been used in public outside of RW and only when I considered it safe to do so.
I withdrew during one event as I considered its arena unsafe to use.
I have not gone to many more for the same reason.

Nothing has ever flown off WBC or hurt anyone so I have judged it right so far.

WBC is now retired from active service because I am fed up with the whimpering of those who are afraid of it.

Christian Fredriksson lecturing me about the difference between static and dynamic force in a hammer is just the sort of un-called for sniping that I am getting fed up with.
Its often called €œteaching your Granny to suck eggs€.
In my workshop I would tell him where to go in no uncertain terms, but this is a public forum.

I even had a telephone complaint that a WBC pull back toy hurt some little boy€™s finger when he fired its flipper.

All machines with moving parts eventually break and those like robots, which are pushed to their limits, generally break the soonest.
If you want an example of the worlds finest machines too often going wrong and bits falling off then just look at F1 motor racing.
If they, with their multi million pound budgets, can€™t get it right then it€™s a bit much to expect robot designers to.
Plenty of people watch F1, many of them just to see them crashing. As soon as they make them super safe their audience will get bored and stop watching.

Those who €œcry wolf€ every time something breaks on a robot are just showing their ignorance and fear of things mechanical.

We must be safe and not hurt anyone, but for heavens sake stop your boring niggling complaints and get on with the real safety issues.

If you keep sniping at people they will get fed up with you and just give up on RW.

[ewan]

I personally think Roger is entitled to his point of view, as are we all. His robots are almost as safe as you can get, its just us that people seem to want to point out the weak bits. Why doesnt Roger point out the weak bits on everyone elses robots, well he doesnt because hes got some brains unlike some of you...
But Roger, I wouldnt give up WBC because of the odd swine, come-on you know your better than most of em...
Cheers, Ewan

[craig_anto]

I thought this was about Power lights?

but Im sorry to say this but at what point rodger did u deside your the only one qualified to tell us how to build robots
Ill be quiet happy to say your robots are fine pieces of work but yours are not the only well made machines and until the start handing out degrees in fighting robot building your not better qualified then anyone else, yes you may have a great deal of experience but so do alot of other people

Ewan your right everyone is entitled to there own point of view but WBC is as safe as every other robot whos builder actually read the rules which I think some people should do before critasising whats already in place
as for your 10ft pole rodger- I dont know about you but my link is pretty tight to get in and out you put it on a 10ft pole and pull it out nd all youll do it roll the robot back. and personally i wouldnt let anyone near my robot with a 10ft pole all it takes is one slip and you could wack my electronics, and dont tell me thats a risk I take when fighting my robots its quiet a differnt thing when someones poking inside your robot with a pole. and how do u plan on opening the doors on some robots where the link is? mines closed with a wing nut i cant see anyone undoing that with a 10ft pole

[ewan]

I agree that a 10ft pole is abit over the top, but again its only an opinion. And come on, aint we all gelous of a fully titanium FP heavyweight flipper, with 249mhz radio (I think)... I know I am...
Cheers, Ewan

[roger_plant]

Craig, read my posts more carefully before you wing nuts at me.
There aint no wing nuts allowed in my arena.

[craig_anto]

you wont see me in your arena then Rodger

I go by the FRA rules if they put it in the rules then Ill do something about it until then Ill stay well clear