[Jack Jones]

Too easy:

<R15> ...absolutely no fabrication or assembly of any elements intended for the final robot is permitted prior to the Kick-off presentation.

Whether the build team had them in their hot little hands before or after kick-off is irrelevant. The parts would be intended for the final robot and could not be customized ahead of time.

Loophole?:

The sponsor could add those machined parts to their normal inventory and offer them for sale to the general public. However, IMO, that would violate not only the spirit of the rule but the letter of the rule as well, since it would not change the fact that those parts were intended for use in that team's final robot.