Quote:
Originally Posted by Team 4264
So we will have to find a retail value for every part we harvest?
And yes I meant the Crio and modules. I'm sure they are amazing in the right hands, but we may not have time to figure them out.
I have an idea. FIRST needs to include all documentation/directions of parts based on a sliding scale based on the noobness of the team.
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Yes, you should estimate a reasonable market value for the parts you harvest. Be careful to ensure that the parts you harvest are competition legal. For instance, don't harvest motors or pneumatics.... unless they are the specific items allowed by the rules.
Don't worry about exceeding the cost guidelines. Worry about size rules, bumper rules, and especially about the weight limit, but very, very rarely is the budget limit a factor even for very well financed teams. Do, however, ensure that you have some reasonable estimate of the dollar value of your machine put together in a spreadsheet to show to the inspectors at your competition.
FIRST actually has some excellent documentation... although sometimes knowing what you are looking for and where to look for it can be a bit of an issue. As far as the control system goes,
http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default...20System_2.pdf Might be a good starting point. Yep... a lot of reading... but when the new control system came out, I passed the job of "figuring it out" on to a few students and let them piece it together. It can be done without adult assistance.
You probably already know if you have any FRC teams in your neighbourhood, but if you don't, check out
http://www.usfirst.org/whatsgoingon and see if you've got any experienced teams nearby. With 26 teams in the state, you might just find one who can help you out.
As for the deer net, my apologies... I was pretty sure about what "deer net" was, it just was the type of defense that you had in mind that I was curious about. Shot blocking may be difficult given the size limitations on your robot (see rule R02 at
http://frc-manual.usfirst.org/viewItem/57) but if you could demonstrate that all of the netting would remain within this size envelope at all times, and that it didn't pose an unnesecary entanglement risk to other robots then it would likely be legal. I say "likely" as if the tech inspector at your event has a different interpretation of "entanglement risk" than you do, then it would not be legal. FRC inspectors are very fair and reasonable, but I cannot pre-judge a design on behalf of your local inspector.
Jason
P.S. Yes, it could be deemed to be your fault if your use of a mesh material caused another robot to become entangled with your robot. FRC involves physical interaction, so you can reasonably expect your "fly swatter" to contact another robot's arm or appendage, particularly if you reach outside of your frame perimeter, and should design to avoid unnecessary entanglement risks.