This topic is for questions and clarifications about the logistics class rules for AVC 2018.
You can find this year’s rules at https://info.sparkfun.com/hubfs/Events/ … -rules.pdf
The box size has changed!
The good news is this makes it easier on everyone to get the boxes for bot testing. It turns out the small box I planned from the beginning is only available to our kitting department and they keep them under inventory control. The new box of choice is the small box our shipping department uses to send your small orders. The next revision of the rules has a drawing.
Measurements:
7 1/4" W
4 7/8" D
1 3/4" T
:? We already had an arm and plan for the pickup, transport and dropoff of the loops…back to the drawing board with less than 10 weeks…
Clarification on max points and tasks for Pickup, Transport and Delivery.
In the Tasks (section 4) there are references to at least two task instances for either Pickup, Transport or Deliver. In the Scoring (section 6) there are references to only one scoring and max points for these tasks. Does that mean there will not be full points for all the boxes that are referenced in the Tasks?
For instances, all the Pickup Tasks (4.3. Pickup Raw Materials & 4.6. Pickup Finished Product) refers to a total of three boxes. Yet in the Scoring (6.1.2) for Pickup the Max is 20 pts; Autonomous max is 100 pts.
This would insinuate a potential strategy of not dealing with any boxes after Pickup, Transport and Delivery of the two Raw Material boxes to Production.
Hate to even say anything to restrict, but I’d rather know now as we redo our design.
QUESTION: Can the two Raw Material boxes be stacked or placed in any way as long as they are within the input area of the Pick-n-Place?
ChaosBuster:
In the Tasks (section 4) there are references to at least two task instances for either Pickup, Transport or Deliver. In the Scoring (section 6) there are references to only one scoring and max points for these tasks. Does that mean there will not be full points for all the boxes that are referenced in the Tasks?
You’re right, that was unclear. The intent is to repeat the points given for each type of task without repeating the verbiage.
Here’s a full breakdown of max points by task ( manual / autonomous )
Now that I’m reading it again, it was worded pretty badly. My apologies. I’ll post the official score sheet so judges and contestants are on the same page.
Yes. The pick-n-place is a super advanced machine and can handle anything that lands within its input area.ChaosBuster:
QUESTION: Can the two Raw Material boxes be stacked or placed in any way as long as they are within the input area of the Pick-n-Place?
ChaosBuster:
:? We already had an arm and plan for the pickup, transport and dropoff of the loops…back to the drawing board with less than 10 weeks…
I know what you mean. I was hoping to just reuse my rover from last year. Now I have to do some work! 
I wanted to post a photo of the figure-8 track surface. I tried to capture the roughness and color for anyone interested.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/03bpe … 16-h987-no
Battle bots, on the other hand, will be indoors with swamp coolers and wifi. That way you can go cool off while you enjoy some robo-carnage.
thanks, but I don’t see image?
Sorry for that. This one should work better.
https://goo.gl/maps/ZFbrQjveEQF2
Thats a link to google maps showing the lot where the event will happen. The photo was taken from the NW corner of the paved parking lot, looking NE.
Thanks for the picture, Patrick! We were assuming rough terrain of pebbles and dirt. From the picture looks like bots will be rock-n-rolling. 
Our chassis are prepared for that…might have to do some location reckoning though.
Do you have any numbers on how many competitors yet for each category?
BTW, just came back from a month on the road and ready to get down to some field details, but when I clicked on the link from the first post of this thread it says 404 FORBIDDEN. The link is: https://info.sparkfun.com/hubfs/Events/ … -rules.pdf
Jeanette
There is a reference to a Starting Line shown by the black-and-white checkered bar in the warehouse and then mentions that it will be in the corner of the warehouse. But there is no indication of the bar or the start signal location in the layout diagram.
Is the bar supposed to be the same as the black line that is referenced to mark the real entrances?
Is the start signal to be on the hay bale to the left of the entrance at the start line?
Do the shelves and/or “machines” have a particular color? Thanks!
I’m so sorry for the delay in response. My primary duties at work have been super stressful and demanding the past 2+ weeks.
The shelves and machines will be colored a medium shade of blue to contrast with the parking lot surface and the red box. I’ll post photos when they are complete.
I need to figure out where exactly to put the starting indicator. When I get a chance to work that out, I’ll post in here the specifics.
XBee:
The XBee stuff will be the same as last year. Luckily the transmitter from last year was not cannibalized, so it will return with the same settings.
channel: 12
pan: FA57
MY, DL and DH: 0
We will not use API.
So the start signal will be a lighted signal (or XBee signal) and not the Car Wars start sign? I hope this xbee signal is in addition to the rules below as a way to gain the autonomous points. I was going by the following in the rules:
3.2.1.3. A starting signal will be placed facing the robot in the corner of warehouse.
3.2.1.4. The starting signal will be a 2-foot circle with one side painted green 1 foot above the hay bales just to the left of the starting line.
3.2.1.5. At the start of the heat, the starting signal sign will flip to the green side.