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Originally Posted by Andy Baker
From my point of view, teams are getting a very good deal with $330 for a tried and true gearbox.
Do these numbers seem correct?
Andy B.
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The price for this gearbox is really a great deal, especially considering it is engineered and tested for you, and you will get great support by being able to deal directly with the manufacturer and designer.
One thing that many teams overlook is how precise you have to be when making systems that use gears. There is a reason that my team almost never uses gears...we just can't make parts to that precision.
Even if you took the plans and raw materials to a local shop that was donating labor, you would probably have some tolerance issues that you will not have buying the AM product.
It really is a steal.
I'm assuming that you forgot to consider cost of manufacture in your questioning the $330 price. It is a nice deal for FIRST teams that they have lots of free child labor
Rob