[David Brinza]

Originally Posted by David Brinza:
In 2015, teams were required to bring their withholding allowance items into the pits during robot load-in. Going to the trailer or build site after load-in was not permitted. Robot inspectors would ask teams with a significant amount of fabricated items declared as "withhold allowance" to weigh them at the inspection station.

Originally Posted by GeeTwo

(Emphasis mine)


Where was that, exactly? I've re-read the 2015 rules with specific emphasis on R12-R17 (Fabrication Schedule and Material Utilization),and T12 (during the event). Neither the word trailer nor the phrase build site appear anywhere in the game manual. I can't find any rules prohibiting access to a trailer or build site for the purposes of (for example) getting COTS parts, tools, non-robot items (such as costumes, buttons, and office supplies) , or excepted assemblies at the end of R17. The key rules regarding fabricated items at the tournament were:




Bottom line: During an event, you may not fabricate items for use on the robot except at the designated locations and times within the venue, nor bring fabricated items for use on the robot into the venue except at check-in, either in the robot bag or the withholding allowance.

An interesting subtlety I noticed on this search is that while "FABRICATED items consisting of one COTS electrical device (e.g. a motor or motor controller), connectors, and any materials used to secure and insulate those connectors" created before build season were permitted on the robot (or in the withholding) under R12, they were not exempt from being part of the withholding allowance under R17.

Sorry for not being more specific in my comment about not going to the trailer after load-in. Teams were not allowed to bring in FABRICATED items from a trailer (or other off-site location) after load-in. Teams can retrieve COTS items, raw materials, driver's stations, tools, etc. from outside the pits (i.e. trailer) at any time during the competition.