Anti slip mat/mesh question

VEX Robotics Competition Discussion VRC > Previous Games
1

Hi,

So on the VEX website it says we can use the VEX anti slip mesh stuff. Dose it matter if we use mesh that is a different color but identical to the VEX approved mesh?

Thanks :slight_smile:

2

The game rules committee has ruled many times that color doesn’t matter as long as a material is the same physically. So, yes, it is OK if your non-skid mat is a color other than black.

3

May I add a color related question…

I couldn’t help but notice that Rice Robotics painted their tank tread white. This confused me because we (Piratech) painted our tank threads black and red and only got them cleared because it was determined that our tie wraps, attached to the tread was exerting the actual force on the playing objects.

My question is simple, what is the official ruling on paint when the painted objects come into contact with the playing objects or the field surface?

Can I paint:

  • Anti-slip matting
    • What if I only painted say a small logo on the anti-slip matting instead of the entire matting?
  • Gears
    • What if only the sides of the gear were painted, not the part where teeth mate?
  • Wheels
    • Wheel hubs that don’t contact the playing surface?
  • Tread
4

You should ask this in the official Clean Sweep Q&A forum. I only answered the above question here because the Lords of the Game have answered it before.

5

Sure, I’ll repost it.

6

Going out on a limb here …

Technically speaking, Paint is an adhesive (not allowed), and in this application potentially changes the interaction with the field, so it is not a decoration (also not allowed).

I’m guessing all of those things would make it illegal.

It will be interesting to see the real answer …

7

Can you clarify what “the same” means? our team bought some anti slip mesh from the store. it came in a generous role compared to small sheets from the vex store for almost the same price. so apparently, color doesnt matter thats good but…

its slightly different. i would say its almost a mix between the thick stuff and thin stuff from the website.it uses a grid of squares but they are smaller then the thick stuff. i used both the official thick and thin stuff before, and i can say it offers not advantage over either. our team has been in a fight about if we should switch it all out since were using ALOT and we dont want to get it in the *** when we go for inspection at a regional for it being slightly diffrent. What were thinking is buying it anyways, then at the regional if they say its illigal, we will switch it out, if they dont say anything. Then we keep our mouths shut.

So what do the rules state about the stuff?

Thanks!

8

I remember a ruling came about last year from the heads. It went something along the lines of:

I’d feel it and see if it changed the texture of the part in question and if it felt the same it would be legal

9

NotSoSiniSter, I seriously doubt that it would fly. At the very least, it’s not worth risking when we’re talking less than ten dollars.

10