CIRC Summer 2024 Rover Safety Evaluation
Team:
Phase:
Revision:
Nazarbayev University Aspan Rover Team
Evaluator:
Result:
Jake Connor
Documentation Submission
August 6
Not Compliant
The result given is the lowest compliance among all MUST requirements, after waivers
Reqs:
Safety Requirements Document
Requirement Types
Compliance Legend
MUST
Rovers not satisfying these requirements will not be allowed to compete
C
Fully Compliant
SHOULD
This is a best practice, but not required. May become required for future competitions
PC
Partially Compliant
INFO
Clarifications for requirements or recommendations
INC
Incomplete: Requirement not evaluated, additional inf
NC
Not Compliant
NE
Not Evaluated
All results other than compliant will be explained with a note.
Req #
Requirement Text
Requirement
Type
1
Rovers must not include any flammable, environmentally damaging,
or otherwise hazardous liquids or gasses, except:
MUST
C
1.1
Within a permanently sealed component such as a battery;
INFO
NE
1.2
Commercially-available lubricants as required by mechanical
assemblies, where care is taken to avoid overuse and contamination. INFO
NE
MUST
Result
2
Each rover must be equipped with at least one kill switch.
2.1
The pressable area of the kill switch must be at least 10 cm2 and red
in color. Levers or toggle switches are not acceptable.
MUST
NC
C
2.2
No other button on the rover may be red.
MUST
NE
2.3
Kill switches must be mounted on the top of the rover, with the button
oriented toward the sky in the rover’s normal driving orientation.
MUST
C
2.4
A keep out region must be maintained around the kill switch with a
radius of 15cm: No components taller than the base of the kill switch
may intrude on the keep out region.
MUST
C
2.5
Kill switches must not be obstructed by a cover or sleeve which
extends above the pressable surface, and must be mounted such
that it will not be obstructed by other components during rover
operation.
MUST
C
Evaluator Notes
Your button can oly switch 125A, but
the fuse before it is 150A. The button
will not break the circuit if the current
through it is larger than 125A.
2.6
The circuit including the kill switch must include appropriate circuit
protection, and the maximum “break” or “disconnect” current rating of
the kill switch must exceed the Interrupt Current Rating of the circuit
protection.
MUST
C
2.7
The function of the kill switch must not depend on the integrity of any
power source or computerized system. Indirect switching by relays or
similar devices is permitted as long as these are driven by the kill
switch, and reliably turn off when their control line is disconnected.
MUST
C
2.8
The function of the kill switch must not depend on the integrity of any
particular wiring connection; for example, physically tearing the kill
switch off the rover should produce the same effect as pressing it.
MUST
C
2.9
If multiple kill switches are installed on the rover, pressing any one
must cut all power to the rover.
MUST
NE
2.10
The function of the kill switch must not be disabled or bypassed by
any means.
MUST
NE
2.11
Rovers should have a remote motion stop for disabling a run-away
rover, such as a dead man’s switch on a lead, or a radio-frequency
system that operates independently of the rover communications
system.
SHOULD
NE
3
Each battery must include or be installed with a single circuit
protection element which protects all circuits supplied by the battery,
and the battery itself.
MUST
NC
3.1
The Interrupt Current Rating of this protection must not exceed the
lesser of:
MUST
C
3.1.1
The Rated Current Capacity of the battery;
MUST
NC
3.1.2
150% of the sum of the Rated Current Consumption of all connected
circuits.
MUST
C
3.2
This circuit protection must be installed as close as possible to the
battery.
MUST
C
3.3
Each Lithium battery must be protected by a battery management
system that provides under-voltage lockout protection.
MUST
INC
3.3.1
The battery management system should provide cell voltage
monitoring, over-current protection, and over-voltage protection.
SHOULD
NE
3.3.2
Batteries should be connected to their battery management systems
when in use, and battery chargers should provide the same
protection.
SHOULD
NE
3.4
All wiring and connecting hardware between the battery and circuit
protection must be fully secured and insulated such that no
reasonable impact, vibration, loose object, or liquid could possibly
create an unprotected short circuit.
MUST
NE
Your text describes using two batteries
in parallel, but only describes one fuse.
Each battery must have it's own fuse.
The fuse you've chosen is alto too
large, that bettery's maximum
continuous current rating is 60A each, a
150A fuse is too large to protect them.
Please provide a datasheet for your
battery management system
3.5
If multiple batteries are used in parallel, each must have its own
circuit protection element according to these requirements. You may
not connect multiple batteries in parallel without a circuit protection
element per battery.
MUST
NE
3.6
Multiple batteries may only be connected in series only if they feed a
single circuit and each battery has a battery management system
with under-voltage-lockout.
MUST
NE
3.7
Teams are responsible for the proper disposal of any compromised
electrical components and/or batteries.
INFO
NE
3.8
Teams should store batteries in fireproof bags (ie Lipo storage bag).
SHOULD
NE
4
Each circuit must include separate circuit protection.
MUST
NC
4.1
The Interrupt Current Rating of this protection must not exceed the
lesser of:
MUST
NE
4.1.1
130% of the Rated Current Consumption of the devices powered by
the circuit, or 2 Amps for lower-current circuits;
MUST
NE
The 10AWG connection from your
batteries through to C1 distribution is
shown as 10AWG, which can only
safely carry 47A, but is fused at 150A.
4.1.2
The Rated Current Capacity of the smallest connectors or conductors
in the circuit.
MUST
NC
4.1.2.1
Use this document as a guide for continuous current.
INFO
NE
4.1.2.2
The ambient temperature outside your rover will be 40 degrees
Celsius.
INFO
NE
4.1.2.3
The ambient temperature inside your rover is likely 20C higher than
outdoors, depending on cooling strategy, rover material, paint colour,
and other factors.
INFO
NE
4.2
The connections between your battery and any distribution
board/panel are a circuit, and must be protected as such. Off the
shelf battery management systems (BMSs) are allowable here, and
are the only exception to the ban on protection systems that rely on
software.
NE
5
Ventilation and heat dissipation concerns should be considered when
installing power sources, high-current devices, and high-current
wiring.
SHOULD
NE
5.1
Each electronic enclosure should be specified with a maximum
internal air temperature.
SHOULD
NE
5.2
The capacity rating of all components in an enclosure should be
determined using the maximum internal temperature of the enclosure
as the ambient temperature for those components.
SHOULD
NE
5.3
The temperature of each enclosure and high-power component
should be monitored, and exceeding the maximum temperature
should shut off power to that enclosure or component.
SHOULD
NE
6
Precautions against short circuits and electric shocks must be
observed:
MUST
NE
MUST
Circuits C12, C13, C14 also have fuses
too large for their wire sizes.
6.1
Each battery must be securely mounted to a suitable structural
element of the rover, and should be protected against collisions or roll
overs during rover operation.
MUST
NE
6.2
All electrical wiring and connections must be insulated, taped over, or
securely mounted within enclosed rover bodywork.
MUST
NE
6.3
All conductive objects within enclosed rover bodywork must be
securely mounted to avoid contact with electrical connections.
MUST
NE
6.4
All electrical connections, wires, and traces should be insulated to
prevent accidental short circuits.
SHOULD
NE
6.5
All electrical connections must be routed away from mechanical
pinch points. The full range of motion available to the rover will be
considered when evaluating pinch points.
MUST
NE
6.6
Hard stops should be used to limit mechanical movement and reduce
pinch points
SHOULD
NE
6.7
Structural and mechanical elements of the rover must not be used as
part of any electrical circuit.
MUST
NE
6.8
All power sources should be disconnected before servicing rover
electrical systems.
SHOULD
NE
6.9
All electronics should be within a waterproof container, or themselves
be waterproof.
SHOULD
NE
6.10
Insulation and drainage should be considered.
NE
7
Sufficient documentation must be provided to prove the safety of your
rover before you will be allowed to compete.
MUST
C
7.1
You may submit partial or full documentation at any time for review
and approval by the organizers. We strongly recommend submitting
potential designs early in the process if you have any concerns about
whether they are compliant.
INFO
NE
7.2
You must submit a full copy of your documentation by June 19, 2025
for review and approval. If your design is not compliant for this
deadline, you will be allowed to revise and resubmit before a second
deadline, to be determined on a case-by-case basis.
MUST
C
7.3
Your documentation must be updated to reflect ongoing changes
during CIRC.
MUST
NE
7.4
The current hard or digital copy of your documentation the diagram
must accompany the rover to CIRC tasks.
MUST
NE
7.5
Related low-current devices on the same circuit may be grouped into
black-box subsystems to reduce the complexity of the diagram.
INFO
NE
7.6
Each power source, circuit protection element, circuit, and
device/device group in your documentation on the diagram must be
identified annotated with a short name and rated Supply Current,
Current Capacity, Interrupt Current or Current Consumption.
NE
7.7
Evidence of claimed ratings must be provided in the documentation
package.
SHOULD
MUST
MUST
INC
Please provide a datasheet or more
detailed description of the arm terminal
block, as well as the following
components:
- All DC/DC Converters
- All Connectors
7.8
Acceptable evidence includes datasheets, industry standards, or test
reports. Product pages or website screenshots are not acceptable.
We will grant exemptions to this requirement on a case-by-case basis
for some components when purchased from reputable vendors.
INFO
NE
7.8.1
Components that may be granted an exemption include batteries,
battery management systems, and generic connectors (like ring
terminals or ferrules).
INFO
NE
7.8.2
Fuses, switches, relays, or contactors will never be granted an
exemption to this requirement.
INFO
NE
7.8.3
Components purchased from amazon/temu will never be granted an
exemption to this requirement.
INFO
NE
7.9
The documentation package must be accessible to judges at all
times.
MUST
NE
7.10
A block-level schematic must be included in the documentation, and
the layout of the schematic circuit diagram should reflect the physical
layout of the rover wiring harness where possible.
MUST
NE
7.11
Related low-current devices (less than 2A total) on the same circuit
may be grouped into black-box subsystems to reduce the complexity
of the diagram.
INFO
NE
7.12
A photograph or diagram of the emergency stop button mounted on
the rover must be included.
MUST
NE
8
After any safety-impacting changes or safety-related incident, your
rover must pass a re-inspection before being allowed to continue
competing. The re-inspection will include a discussion of the cause,
and measures taken to prevent recurrence.
MUST
NE
8.1
Safety incidents include but are not limited to unprotected shorts,
exposed or damaged wiring, battery damage, or any emission of
smoke, fire, or sparks.
INFO
NE
8.2
A blown fuse or tripped circuit breaker is not a safety incident.
INFO
NE
8.3
Non-compliance to this requirement will be subject to penalties under
our Code of Conduct, up to and including disqualification.
INFO
NE