Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Hill
If you were my inspector, I'd throw Example 6 in the blue box below at you...
Example 1: A Team orders two (2) ROBOT grippers from RoboHands Corp. and receives both items. They put one in their storeroom and plan to use it later. Into the other, they drill “lightening holes” to reduce weight. The first gripper is still classified as a COTS item, but the second gripper is now a FABRICATED ITEM, as it has been modified.
Example 2: A Team obtains openly available blueprints of a drive module commonly available from Wheels-R-Us Inc. and has local machine shop “We-Make-It, Inc.” manufacture a copy of the part for them. The produced part is NOT a COTS item, because it is not commonly carried as part of the standard stock of We-Make-It, Inc.
Example 3: A Team obtains openly available design drawings from a professional publication during the pre-season, and uses them to fabricate a gearbox for their ROBOT during the build period following Kickoff. The design drawings are considered a COTS item, and may be used as “raw material” to fabricate the gearbox. The finished gearbox itself would be a FABRICATED ITEM, and not a COTS item.
Example 4: A COTS part that has non-functional label markings added would still be considered a COTS part, but a COTS part that has device-specific mounting holes added is a FABRICATED ITEM.
Example 5: A team has a COTS single-board processor version 1.0, which can no longer be purchased. Only the COTS single-board processor version 2.0 may be purchased. If the COTS single-board processor version 1.0 is functionally equivalent to its original condition, it may be used.
Example 6: A team has a COTS gearbox which has been discontinued. If the COTS gearbox is functionally equivalent to its original condition, it may be used.
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That has a very interesting side-effect. If I have a sonic shifter that I drilled a hole in to mount something to, then I can't use it next year.
However, if AM were to discontinue the sonic shifter then I would be able to use mine that has a hole in it - because it is still 'functionally equivalent'.
Now I'm going to hope Andy Mark starts bumping the product number every year so I don't have to buy new transmission parts to replace the ones we've had to modify.