[sanddrag]

Originally Posted by Billfred

Alright, we've heard many folks talk about how generally awesome the Kitbot can be for teams. (I've said it quite a few times myself.)

I'd like to know from the teams that rolled their own frame why they chose to do so. Was it weight? Force of habit? The desire to do something different? Something else I've missed completely after being spoiled for two seasons by the Kitbot?

(Just as a note: I'm not saying one way or the other is better. I just want to know why the other side does things like they do. It makes life interesting.)

The primary reason is that we can do better than the kit frame (and gearboxes) can provide us. Whether or not that gives us any advantage on the field, I believe it does good things for the skills of the students on our team. We built an incredibly robust and lightweight frame from aluminum box tubing. The way we had our wheels, pillow blocks, and chains setup would not have been possible with the kit frame. We were able to save space and weight by putting a lot of design and fabrication into our own custom frame (and drive system). Also, on a more personal level, I don't believe that all robots should look the same.