Editing 1997 (section)

==Robot construction==

Robots were constructed from materials in the [[kit of parts]], $425 worth of parts from the [[Small Parts]] catalog, and a limited quantity of additional hardware from other sources. Fasteners, spade connectors, pipe fittings, shrink wrap, and similar materials could be used in unlimited quantity as long as they were used for their intended purpose. No more than four sprockets and/or pulleys and no more than 10 feet of chain and/or belt could be purchased and used from sources other than Small Parts.

Robots must fit within a 36 inch long by 36 inch wide by 48 inch high area at the start of the match. Part of the inspection process included putting the robot into a large clear [[sizing cube|sizing box]] to show that it was under these dimensions. Robots could not weigh more than 120 pounds including the two drill batteries.

Like previous years, robots needed to clearly display their school and sponsor names. Additionally, the team numbers assigned in 1997 had to be displayed on robots. Numbers needed to be at least three inches tall and displayed on at least two opposite sides of the robot.

Machines competing in regional events had to be out of team's hands and shipped by Tuesday February 25th, regardless of which regional they were attending. Machines only competing in the National Championship had to be shipped by February 28th. 

<gallery perrow=3 heights=250px widths=300px>
File:44515 - 1997 1997frc155 1997il frc-49 inspection pit robot sizing cube.png|[[frc-49|Team -49]]'s robot in the sizing box at the [[1997il|1997 Motorola Midwest Regional]] [https://www.frcarchive.com/index.php?q=post/view/44515]
</gallery>

===Control system===

<gallery perrow=4 heights=200px widths=230px>
File:44428 - 1997 control system kit of parts.png|The robot controller with [[BASIC Stamp]] in the 1997 [[kit of parts]] [https://www.frcarchive.com/index.php?q=post/view/44428]
File:3660 - 1997 control system dean kamen kickoff woodie flowers.jpg|[[Dean Kamen]] and [[Woodie Flowers]] with the control system at [[kickoff]] [https://www.frcarchive.com/index.php?q=post/view/3660]
File:3637 - 1997 1997frc31 build control system frc45 robot.jpg|[[frc45|Team 45]] wiring the 1997 control system, showing an RNet radio plugged into the receiver box, two drill battery holders, two drill motors, and two Tekin speed controllers [https://www.frcarchive.com/index.php?q=post/view/3441]
File:45584 - 1997 control system.jpg|1997 transmit board [https://www.frcarchive.com/index.php?q=post/view/45584]
</gallery>
As in several previous years, robots were powered by two 12 volt drill batteries. For the first time, the control system included a software-programmable microcontroller and programming software. The robot side of the control system included the receive box which contained a BASIC Stamp microcontroller and hardware to output PWM and relay controls. The kit of parts included software to program the controller in PBASIC. One 2048 byte EEPROM in the receive box contained the default program which would output controller buttons right to PWM outputs like some previous control systems and while the other could be selected and programmed with custom code. 26 bytes of RAM were available to user programs. This increased the potential complexity of mechanisms and automated control and allowed for more complex driver control.

The driver station side of the control system includes the transmit box with ports for two PC joysticks, with CH Products joysticks once again included in the [[kit of parts]]. An array of switches and potentiometers was included in the kit to build a third custom controller. 16 digital switch signals and 8 channels of proportional output can be sent from the joysticks and custom control box. All custom controls are subject to the same parts rules as the components of the robot, although custom controls are not counted in the weight of the robot itself.

The kit of parts included two Hitec servos, four Tekin REBEL reversing speed controllers, two drill motors and mating gearboxes, four Delco seat motors, two Delphi tape drive window motors, two McCord-Winn Textron air pumps, and two Numatics valves. The two drill motors had to be controlled by the Tekin speed controllers and would typically be used in the drivetrain, leaving two controllers free for proportional control of seat or window motors.

The pneumatic accumulator could be charged before a match as long as it was filled by the pumps provided in the kit. The compressor did not need to be mounted to the robot but did still need to be powered from two 12 volt drill batteries.