Are items from AndyMark over $400 ineligible for a competition robot?

[alecmuller]

AndyMark sells drive trains that cost more than $400 that would be very useful for teams that don't want to reinvent [moving] the wheel.

For example: http://www.andymark.com/product-p/am-0968.htm

Can we use these items in a competition robot, or are they excluded due to rule R11?

"No individual item shall have a value that exceeds $400 USD. The total cost of COMPONENTS purchased in bulk may exceed $400 as long as the cost of an individual COMPONENT does not exceed $400."

"If a COTS item is part of a modular system that can be assembled in several possible configurations, then each individual module must fit within the price constraints defined in R11."

These components are sold as kits (in some cases fully-assembled), but could be taken apart, re-assembled, and used in different ways, so I could see it going either way. I know they had similar things last year, so I'm hoping this question has already been resolved (I just haven't found it yet).

[mechanical_robot]

You can use it because no part on the drive train exceeds $400 the whole thing together cost $400 but not each and every single part.

[mechanical_robot]

Read the manual though

[PAR_WIG1350]

Based on the blue box under R11, that would not appear to be legal:

Example 2: VENDOR B sells a robotic arm assembly that the team wants to use. However, it costs $700, so they cannot use it. The Vendor sells the “hand”, “wrist”, and “arm” as separate assemblies, for $200 each. A team wishes to purchase the three items separately, then reassemble them. This would not be legal, as they are really buying and using the entire assembly, which has a Fair Market Value of $700.

However, that would make the upgrade packages for the kitbot illegal as well, which I don't think AndyMark intended. It might be worth asking in Q&A when it opens.