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Official Q&A: VIQC 2019-2020: Squared Away

Usage Guidelines All Questions

558: VEX IQ Robot dimensions when using the "template"

66860B
19-Feb-2020

To whom it may concern.

It would be nice to get some clarification from VEX directly. If a bot in the size testing template touches the sides but moves through the template, is it or is it not exactly 11 inches. Our understanding is that the pieces from VEX and the connector holes are either 1/4 or 1/2 inch. To us and our measurements and likely others the bot was going to be 10 1/2, (10 3/4 with odd cross connectors) or 11 or 11 1/4”. All that is to say the bot either does not rub, rubs a little or will not fit. Our experience at Worlds was as long as they could push it through the template all was good. We were not the only ones confused by this at check-in this past weekend at a Signature event.

We put a tape measure over it and it's exactly 11" front middle and back.

The head ref prior to sending it through said to the guy putting it through the template, I am not concerned about the width, yet the moment it touched the sides the other ref was sure we were too wide.

The head ref had measured it with a tape measure and it was spot on 11".

Perhaps Vex can clarify this for anyone using the template.

Thank you,

Scott Bowman.

R5  
Answered by Game Design Committee

While the VEX IQ Challenge Sizing Tool is a useful tool to have at events, the Game Manual is the official and final ruling on what should be considered legal.

Rules R5 and G5 are quoted bas follows:

<R5> Max Robot size is 11” x 19”. Robots must be demonstrably able to comply with the expansion rules set forth by <G5>.

<G5> Expansion is limited during a Match. During the Match, Robots may not expand beyond the following restrictions:

a. Horizontally, beyond an 11” x 19” (279.4mm x 482.6mm) area.

b. Vertically, beyond the 15” (381mm) high starting requirement.

The official tool is one way to demonstrate compliance with these rules, but the tool itself is not the rule - the size is.

We put a tape measure over it and it's exactly 11" front middle and back.

This is correct; the inside faces of the sizing tool are exactly 11". So, if a Robot were to brush up against the edge of the sizing tool but is able to pass through it without deforming, it would (in most cases) be a legal robot of the max dimension.

With that said, a Robot brushing the edge of 11" is, by definition, pushing the limits of the rule. Therefore, as always, edge-case scenarios are to be handled at the discretion of the Head Referee. We would advise Teams to take this into account when Students are designing their Robot.