[PhilBot]

So if FIRST excludes:

Electric solenoid actuators

Then they are obviously using the Engineering variaton, rather than the pure physics form.

So the coil itself is not banned, but trying to use it in some form of actuator is. It does seem to limit the possibilities.... but I guess if they didn't people would be building high power motors and calling them solenoids

In which case the electric slingshot release should have been illegal..

Originally Posted by squirrel

A solenoid consists of two parts, an electromagnet and an armature (the part that is moved linearly by the electromagnet).

Or it consists of just the electromagnet, if you're not an engineer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solenoid

Have fun!