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Yes it is possible to create and manufacture a simple robot with $3500. But that is not the dispute in those terms. We are discussing the more advanced, complex, robots that many veteran teams will be constructing. Many robots will be brave little toasters (BLTs) that just run around on the field due to the number of teams who lack funds and/or are rookies. But we here accept the $3500, but we strongly and firmly believe what why should we be penalized for designing a complex, multi-system robot capable of doing many different things. Our gearbox design, the original one, was in the neighborhood of a couple grand and that was last years. the only reason we didn't choose it was because with one machine shop, the parts for all the things we needed would never have been done in time for shipping. Thus we asked for support from other area machine shops to not only alleviate this problem this year and obtain sponsors (through their assistence in machining parts) but spread the message of F.I.R.S.T.. This allows us to grow as a team as we gain experience with working with different designs that, yes it looks great on paper, but we never could really implement for various reason and the primary one outside of money was the machining involved. Read a few of the earlier posts.
Yes you are right, the greatest expense is going to the competition but that is not the dispute here.
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