[archiver]

Posted by Andy Baker, Engineer on team #45, TechnoKats, from Kokomo High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.

Posted on 3/18/99 7:06 AM MST



I spent yesterday at the National Design Show
in Chicago's McCormick Place. Whew, what a day!

While I was up there searching for new and exciting
stuff to help me do my real job (designing automated
production equipment), I also ran into many vendors
who supply our Kit Parts (Kerk, Serpac (sp?), Valve
Plastics, and Globe Motors).

Talking to the Globe Motors salesman was interesting:

me: "We're using your motors for the FIRST
Robotics Competition."

Globe Motor Guy (GMG): "Oh, yes, we know of you!"

me: "Why can't we buy spare Globe Motors straight
from you instead of buying a very expensive
gearbox assembly from my friendly GM dealer?"

GMG: "FIRST said that you would be cheating if you
bought from us."

me: "What? Cheating? I'm just trying to get spare
parts... what's the deal?"

GMG: "Well, I guess you can buy the motor with a
slightly different reducer. The reduction would
be the same, but the housing might look a little
different."

me: "Well, maybe that would get us by."

I didn't push it from there, 'cause our team doesn't
really need spare Globe Motors. But I know that there
are other teams out there that do. The only reason
that they could be resistant about selling the correct
motor-reducer provided in the kit is because that motor
was made specially for its application, and Globe has
aggreed not to sell it to anyone else.

Regardless, here is the name and number of the Globe
Motor Guy:
Robert L. Cox
Regional Sales Manager
937-229-8591
fax 937-461-1017
(Dayton, OH)

Hopefully, this info will help someone out there.

Regards,
Andy Baker
TechnoKat Engineer