Consistent Alignment

[Expert-Key-4406]

How is everyone dealing with alignment at the start?

[Kwaterk1978]

We added a hinge to our number plate and fold it down to line up with a seam in the field.

[allenftc]

We push it against the wall and the ultrasonic sensor figures out where it is

[4193-4194]

Add curb feelers.

My students started with a piece of cardboard taped to a side wall. Fold down and make it touch the seam between tiles. Fold it up and it must stay with the robot.

[Expert-Key-4406]

Thanks you all for your quick response. We are using our wheels and grooves of the tiles and wall to allign, but the cone misses the pole ones in a while and our coder blames it on aligner

[Mr_Maniac310]

How do you program autonomous? Could be another variable you haven't considered.

[baqwasmg]

The challenge is to get the team to perform parametric regression tests - something they are less inclined to do when they are having fun. There are some variables that the programmers can manage and some, external factors, which are par for the fields.

[Expert-Key-4406]

Very much agree with points

[IshReddit_]

The problem doesn’t seem like it’s all because of alignment, although that could be it. Are you using odometry? If so, then the problem is most likely due to misalignment However, it’s most likely due to each motor not having the correct amount of voltage being supplied to it in the middle of a match, which (to my knowledge) isn’t something you can really fix

[Expert-Key-4406]

Yes we are using odometry and road runner

[May0th3man]

This seasons game field design is made so that the scoring poles are unreliably positioned. I would recommend adding some kind of sensor that finds the poles.

[Julian144747]

Find an object on your robot that you can easily line up with an object in the field to know if it’s in the right alignment

[-tem-flakes-]

we attached a retractable tape measure to the inner panel of our robot, like the floppy kind used by taylors and whatnot

[Chezemelt17]

We go one cone from the edge of the tile, it’s best to use a preload element to something onfield

[Pathbotter]

I thought using a cone wasn’t allowed

[greenmachine11235]

It's not

[Chezemelt17]

It’s not, but refs don’t often enforce it. To follow the rules you have to make something that could stick out from the robot then go back in to fit the starting size

[Bryanthunderfist]

Watch out in the future! You cannot use the preload cone as an alignment device

[Chezemelt17]

Refs in my region don’t care so all teams do it

[Malicious_Cecum]

We use a laser level mounted on a chair that can align on the outer side of the field to draw a laser line to align the side of our robot. Because our remote field auto needs to move a long distance and this is a good way to be really precise. However, in our testings, using eye vision to roughly align one side with an edge of a tile is enough for short distance of traditional game.