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Originally Posted by Natchez
Teams must fabricate and/or assemble all custom parts and assembled mechanisms on the robot by the 2004 team after the start of the Kick-off.
This rule does not apply, in my opinion, because the parts in question are not custom.
Please allow me to give a scenario that may make cutting metal in December seem palatable.
Team 4444 has some money in the off-season and purchases $2,000 worth of AM Transmissions in November and then implements them on their 2005 robot and practice 'bot. Team 8888 barely had enough to pay the entry fee but has the wherewithal to visit every machine shop in the community with AM Transmissions CAD Drawings in-hand asking them to PLEASE make these parts. Team 8888 is successful and finds two machine shops that make two transmissions each.
Each team is starting out on the same footing come January 8th with two transmissions in-hand but it seems that folks think that team 4444 can use them on their 2005 robot whereas team 8888 can not.
So, by the rules, I don't see why 8888 can not use the transmissions. Moreover, if 8888 built the transmissions themselves, I contend that it would be more of a learning experience for the students than if they bought them from AM.
Finally, I thought that it would be a good idea to contact local machine shops and see if they would manufacture a bunch of AM Transmissions and we would just give them to the Greater Houston Teams (about 15). We would parse the work out to several shops and each team in Houston could be shifting by January 10th. We would also set up tours of the machine shops for the students to see exactly how the trannies were built. Since machine shops in Houston traditionally have a slow period in December, this would be a perfect opportunity to introduce the shops to FIRST and get them involved. Of course, you know the long term plan: get them to support a team. A special thanks to AM for releasing the drawings or this idea could never get off the ground. Regardless whether the teams can use them on their '05 robot, I am going to initiate the effort hopefully to help some teams out.
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Where do we start here?!
First, assuming the rule is the same in 2005, it does apply because the parts ARE custom parts. Your fictional team 8888 was walking drawings around and having parts fabricated by someone other than the original manufacturer. It would be a one off or small quantity job, not something the machine shop would typically make. That indeed makes them custom.
Second, we should not be in the business of making something that runs contrary to the rules "palatable". If an action is, as it appears here, not allowed, then in the spirit of gracious professionalism, we should not be doing it. Note that I said should not be doing it. There is no way to adequately and equally police each and every thing in the rules.
Third, the scenario you put forth would be correct. Under the 2004 rules, team 4444 could purchase transmissions before kickoff and use them while team 8888 could not use transmissions they fabricated or had someone fabricate before kickoff. Is it fair? Maybe or maybe not. But it is what the rules seem to dictate.
And finally, I would contact FIRST, before you go and have 15 or 20 or whatever amount of transmissions fabricated before kickoff, for an official ruling. It would not be a good thing to publicly announce you are going to do something, do it and then find out it would not be allowed by the rules.
We are in the business of teaching our students. One of those things should be respect for the rules, whether we agree with them or not. And whether they be the rules of FIRST or the rules of law and life. Would you suggest to your students that they drive 65mph in a school zone? I hope not. Would you advocate that your under age students drink alcohol when not permitted by the laws of your state? I think not!! Then let's have the same respect for the rules of FIRST!!