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Unread 04-05-2006, 12:29
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Ken Patton Ken Patton is offline
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FRC #0051 (Wings of Fire)
Team Role: Engineer
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Rookie Year: 1997
Location: Pontiac, MI
Posts: 338
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Re: Spare parts and duplicate robots

I think this is a discussion that needs to be had, and hopefully FIRST will follow it. I agree with Rob's and Kevin's comments. We're already at the point where such things as swapping in parts from another team with an identical robot can happen.

It'd be great if there were a way to enable teams to help one another (helping to make a part on site, or lending a spare COTS item) while also living up to whatever spare-parts-rule FIRST decides on.

Some possible questions that the new rule might address:

1. Is it okay for a team to pull parts from a still-competing robot to keep another still-competing robot running?

2. Is it okay for a team to pull parts from an eliminated robot to keep another still-competing robot running?

2. Is it okay for a team to pull parts from the 25 lb of spares brought in by another team? Whose 25 lb is it then?

4. Is it okay for N teams with clones to pre-plan their 25 lbs of spares so that they each have essentially 25*N lbs of spares to work with should one of the teams need them?

Definitely something for the rules-makers to noodle on.....

Ken