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Unread 23-06-2002, 22:35
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#0047 (ChiefDelphi)
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Pontiac, MI
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I'm Confused

Posted by Dodd Stacy.

Engineer on team #95, Lebanon Robotics Team, from Lebanon High School and CRREL/CREARE.

Posted on 1/15/2000 10:56 PM MST


In Reply to: Fabricating on site & Machine shop posted by Michael Martus on 1/15/2000 3:05 PM MST:



I think this rule is counter productive and contrary to a host of other constructive changes FIRST has made in the game this year. Specifically, for example, I believe that changes such as lifting the quantity limits on many items of the Additional Materials list will allow us finally to design and build robust mechanisms that will arrive on the court ready to rock, unlike some of the contraptions we've had to cobble in the past from 10' of this and 10' of that.

But no matter how much better our first effort is this year than last, we are likely to find some weaknesses and suffer some breakage when we actually go 'up against' other bots at our first event and discover some of the play modes we may not have anticipated. Under this rule, we WILL show up in Orlando less able to play competantly, and I think the play will suffer needlessly.

As I understand this rule, we are limited to fabricating (improved? Is THAT allowed?) replacement parts on site at the competition(s) from raw stock. The on-site machine shops and the staff have been wonderful - they saved us at Hartford last year when we broke an axle. But they are going to be overwhelmed by the effect of this rule. We're going to have lots of no-shows, and the whole experience is going to be stressed and degraded for a lot of the kids, needlessly in my mind.

I would agree with the rule between shipping day and the first tournament. We should all be required to complete our project in 6 weeks and then play with it. I would suggest however that we be allowed between tournaments to fabricate improved repair parts for mechanisms that break at the first event, with the restriction that changes in functional capability may not be implemented in this time period. (Those could presumably be done on-site, working from raw stock, under the present rule.) This would allow teams to re-engineer marginal parts using their home base resources, while preventing anybody from carrying on fab and development of secret weapons to spring in Orlando, based on what they saw and learned from the Regional play strategies.

I'm sorry to be so blunt about it, but I think this rule has a very negative impact potential and that FIRST should reconsider it.

Dodd


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