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Originally Posted by wilsonmw04
Thank you for the reply, Paul. The more transparent you are with this situation, the better your customers will feel about this. Please, excuse my bluntness, but I do I have a concern. Essentially, the two producers of FIRST approved motor controllers have joined forces to create an great new product. I am excited about the form factor. I am worried about supply. This is a rational concern considering that it seems every year something is in short supply in the FIRST community. Will there be a limit on the amount a team can order at one time. If folk order 40 at a time (yeah 40! read the thread) can you guarantee that all customers will have access to this new product?
I have a small supply of new motor controllers on hand from last year and a stock of used ones. If replacements are hard to come by, I am worried I will not have access to this new source of material when i need them for the build season.
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You have every right to be concerned.
Let me try to put you at ease. IFI has 14 years of FRC speed controller history. Unlike gearboxes, wheels, and motors; This history has proven to be very predictable. Our data, combined with CTRE's data from the last two years has kept that predictable trend going.
We are manufacturing enough speed controllers for even the most optimistic of forecasts. Now, getting the mix between the two may take a season to get right but we have accounted for that in our forecast model.
Again, unlike other products for this market, the historical data has proven very reliable. VEX has never run out of speed controllers during the FRC Season in the past and we aren't going to start now.
Paul