Originally Posted by EricH (Post 924244)

No. 6 weeks is long enough to be crazy. Some of us happen to like our sanity whenever we aren't building robots.

Originally Posted by Karthik (Post 924296)

We received the same email from our Regional Director, at 2:12 PM.

Originally Posted by dlavery (Post 924306)

Your Regional Director is wrong. See this Q&A, which addresses this topic. If there is still any question, please post this to the Official Q&A immediately so that this can be addressed officially, and the mistaken information from the RD can be corrected.

-dave



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Originally Posted by Steve W (Post 924080)

According to Richard Yasui the FIRST Robotics Administrator for TDSB, he made a call to FIRST who said that the robot must be shipped. I am totally confused now. Yes there is a 65 lb withholding of fabricated parts but the rules state

"<R26> During the Build Season: During the period between the Kick-off and the ROBOT shipment deadline, teams are to design and fabricate all the COMPONENTS and MECHANISMS required to complete their ROBOT. They are encouraged to use all the materials, sources and resources available to them that are in compliance with the rules of the 2010 FRC. There is no limit to the amount of time that may be put into this effort, other than via the realities of the calendar. When the ROBOT shipment deadline arrives, all work on the ROBOT must cease and the ROBOT must be placed in a “hands-off” condition. The entire ROBOT (including all FABRICATED ITEMS intended for use during the competition in alternative configurations of the ROBOT) must be crated or bagged (as appropriate for your event), and out of team hands by the shipment deadline specified in Section 4 (with the exception of the items covered by the WITHHOLDING ALLOWANCE).

The red is my highlight. If all work on the robot must cease then how can one withold the whole robot?

Originally Posted by Steve W (Post 924460)

I think that FIRST, of which the GDC is part of, should release a clarification of the rules as they are not all on the same page.

As stated on other occasions by FIRST, the rules are the rules. The Q&As are not the final say. The director that forwarded the email was sent an official (an email from FIRST) document saying that the robot must be shipped. Unless the rules are changed I still believe that the original stated rules should be followed.

Originally Posted by Kims Robot (Post 926473)

You can bring in whatever you want for fabricated items (including mechanisms), so as long as your drivetrain and anything else you bring are under 65lbs, you can withhold it. But be VERY careful, all your electronics and everything "assembled" or "fabricated" counts!

See here:
http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=14653
http://www.usfirst.org/uploadedFiles...pdate%2011.pdf
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ht=withholding

Originally Posted by Bill's Blog

Tomorrows Team Update will include the following: Rule , as amended in Team Update #11, permits the TEAM to utilize a 65 pound WITHHOLDING ALLOWANCE. The choice of which FABRICATED PARTS of the ROBOT are included in the WITHHOLDING ALLOWANCE is entirely up to the TEAM.

Please note that a ROBOT is an assembly of FABRICATED and COTS parts. Teams attending traditional events may not bring fully assembled ROBOTS to the competition. Teams attending bag & tag events may not bring a fully assembled ROBOT that has not been bagged. For both traditional and bag & tag events, teams may bring up to 65lbs of FABRICATED parts for use on the ROBOT, even if their ROBOT weighs less than 65lbs.

Originally Posted by Karthik (Post 926485)

Kim has given you a good list of reading material on this topic. Here's one that was just published a few minutes ago.

http://frcdirector.blogspot.com/2010...and-early.html