A video of one of our matches is available at
http://zansstuff.com/video/BAE05WPIquarter.wmv. Bandwidth is limited, so please download it to your computer to view.
The rules clearly stated that modifying the housing of the motors was legal, and this was all we did. All holes were drilled away from the magnets, and in no way affected the electrical or magnetic functioning of the motor. The article exaggerated the retiming aspect a bit. When the motors were dissassembled and reassembled, the alignment of the motor can and brush assembly had to be adjusted, which can advance or retard the timing. Our "retiming" consisted of me and another kid out in the snow with a tachometer running the motors forwards and backwards as we screwed them back together. This in no way modified the electrical system.
If FIRST wants to state in the rules next year that modifying the motor cans is illegal, they are free to. However, this past year's rules stated:
Quote:
It is acceptable to modify the mounting brackets and/or other structural parts
of the motors (output shaft, housing, etc.) as long as the electrical system is
not modified and the integral mechanical system of the moving parts
(bearings, bushings, worm gear output stages, etc.) is not changed or removed.
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No electrical components or moving parts were changed or removed. The thinning and drilling was designed to improve cooling, not reduce weight (and the turning was done only to remove the powder coating). Also, the statement about intent was released in a rule update long after our motors were modified, and it is somewhat unrealistic to expect us to buy a new set of CIM motors due to a distinction that was added after the build season started.