[Joe Johnson]

As to the possible "BAD" labels, I don't know for sure, but I can guess.

In the auto industry, there are 1000's of specs that components have to meet, motors more than most. There are EMC specs, EMI specs, Speed, Torque, Hot, Cold, Current, Sound, dimensional stuff, and so on.

There are many many times, when an engineering change is made that affects a specific problem that is may be important to the proper function of the assembly used in a car but that does not change the function of the part by itself. For example, a grease may have to be changed in order to meet a new environmental regulation in an export market. Another example may be a change to a casting in order to clear a trim change by an OEM.

Bottom line, MOST engineering changes made to a motor would have no noticeable affect on the performance of the motor when used on a FIRST robot.

In many cases, the engineering change leaves some stock on pallets in some warehouse in the midwest. That is where I come in... ...If we can get these motors to FIRST and get enough of them to make a complete kit's worth, they end up in the Kit.

SO... ...the most likely reason for the "bad" on the motors is that there was an engineering change or some sort of sorting process needed make the system work but made no difference to FIRST and someone* convinced the motor supplier or the motor user to donate these motors to FIRST.

Joe J.

*Jim Zondag from the Killer Bees has become an expert at these type of situations in recent years. You can become an expert at this too -- PM me for details...