What is this "fully built robot before stop build" of which you speak?
TechnoKats programmers get access to the robot regularly during build. Closed-loop control system tuning is often an important part of the robot's ability to perform. In some years, we've actually gone so far as to reserve an entire day each week where software has priority access, and the only "build" work permitted on the robot is to fix hardware problems discovered (or occasionally created) by the software group. The mechanical group gets to keep busy making replacement or upgrade parts, or working on the practice robot.