[EricH]

Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz

Eric,
Pneumatic vacuum using cylinders was allowed in 2007 after some discussion, in 2004 it was not. The only legal vacuum devices prior to 2007 were venturis which create vacuum but not by mechanical force. However, even these were not legal in most years.

From 2004 Robot Pneumatic section rules <R54> revised...

• A device that creates a vacuum is not considered to be a pneumatic device, and is allowed. This includes, but is not limited to, venturi-type vacuum generators and off-the-shelf vacuum devices (as long a they are powered by one of the Kit motors).

Some teams used vacuum pumps that were COTS items, removed the motors and replaced them with KOP motors. The FP was the motor of choice that year.

Then two teams were using illegal mechanisms in 2004; a pair of West Coast teams used a setup similar to 386's 2007 one to try to create suction on the 2X ball.