[shawnz]

Regarding this "fabrication is/isn't engineering" business:

We are a team that fabricates entirely in-house (with CAD, though), but most people on the team agree that it's not very sustainable to operate this way -- especially with the short length of the build season. However, an earlier poster noted that the designers may not understand physical limitations as well without manufacturing experience, and I completely agree. This is true even if in-house CNC is in the budget.

The most obvious answer to this, IMO, is to train manufacturing in the off-season primarily where the deadlines are significantly more lax. Students who have that knowledge can then help the designers understand what will and will not work during the actual build season, where out-of-house fab or CNC (i.e., whatever gets the job done best) would be preferred. In addition to a better understanding of the implications of various design choices, I believe this basically satisfies the "moral" issues that some people have with fab-less teams as well.

Our team in particular has yet to implement this. Of course, such a strategy may greatly increase the off-season commitment required (depending on the team, of course), but that's just what it takes to be successful in a competition like FIRST -- hard work and commitment. Regardless of your priorities, training strategies, morals, or whatever else, there isn't a successful team that hasn't worked hard to get where they are, regardless of how they accomplished it.