FRC Blog - Get Ready to Make FIRST Choices

[Jared Russell]

Every time I feel compelled to complain about the size of the kit of parts now versus in the past, I remember that the incredible growth in the quality, diversity, affordability, and availability of FRC-specific COTS items over the past decade (and general loosening of allowed COTS parts rules) means we are getting a MUCH better deal now than at any other point in FRC history.

Think about it:

15 years ago, the registration fee (for a single regional, where you were probably getting 7-10 matches) was still $5000. Adjusted for inflation, that's $6900 today. In 2005, it was raised to $6000, or $7300 today. In the past, you got a slightly larger kit (although no kitbot until...2005?), but there was no AndyMark or VexPro. There were heavy restrictions on what you could use outside of the kit.

Today we pay ~$2000 less for the same registration (which is also going to tend to be for a closer event with more matches than in the past) and have FIRST Choice. Yes, you might not end up with your preferred parts. Yes, you haul less stuff home from kickoff. But compared to the past, a $2000 voucher for the 2015 version of AndyMark + Vex is BY FAR the best deal we've EVER gotten.

[sanddrag]

Originally Posted by Jared Russell

Every time I feel compelled to complain about the size of the kit of parts now versus in the past, I remember that the incredible growth in the quality, diversity, affordability, and availability of FRC-specific COTS items over the past decade (and general loosening of allowed COTS parts rules) means we are getting a MUCH better deal now than at any other point in FRC history.

Think about it:

15 years ago, the registration fee (for a single regional, where you were probably getting 7-10 matches) was still $5000. Adjusted for inflation, that's $6900 today. In 2005, it was raised to $6000, or $7300 today. In the past, you got a slightly larger kit (although no kitbot until...2005?), but there was no AndyMark or VexPro. There were heavy restrictions on what you could use outside of the kit.

Today we pay ~$2000 less for the same registration (which is also going to tend to be for a closer event with more matches than in the past) and have FIRST Choice. Yes, you might not end up with your preferred parts. Yes, you haul less stuff home from kickoff. But compared to the past, a $2000 voucher for the 2015 version of AndyMark + Vex is BY FAR the best deal we've EVER gotten.

Absolutely agreed on all points. All factors considered (vouchers, FC, etc), it's a great value. Back in the day, we never had the kind of product donation vouchers we do now. Bimba was about it.

As for the kitbot, that came about in 2003. Anyone remember those right angle helical gears, plastic gearbox pieces, and gigantic 2x4 aluminum rectangular tubes? I think it even included some Skyway 9x2 wheels. Ah, Skyway wheels, that takes me back. As much of a failure as that system was along with the terrible Bosch drill gearboxes, the Bosch drill motors were amazingly powerful for their size, and I wouldn't mind something like that returning (so long as they didn't have the fragile plastic brush-holder assembly). 2005 was the first year of the "modern"-era kitbot with the metric gearbox designed by Paul Copioli, and then I think in 06 it went to an AndyMark Toughbox, and at some point it changed to a CIM-ple Box.

[bigbeezy]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

2005 was the first year of the "modern"-era kitbot with the metric gearbox designed by Paul Copioli, and then I think in 06 it went to an AndyMark Toughbox, and at some point it changed to a CIM-ple Box.

The '05 gearbox was still used in 2006. 2007 teams got Banebot planetary that had some issues at first. Toughbox was in the 2008 kit.

[Munchskull]

I think that FIRST Choice is great. I always love to look at the stuff and am excited since this year I will have a large say in what my team gets. The tool that I would absolutely love to see on the list would have to be a 1/2" hex broach.

[MrRoboSteve]

Your mental model of FC is important to understanding it.

FIRST Choice is _not_ a bunch of stuff selected by FIRST to help you build this year's robot.

FIRST Choice is a bunch of potentially useful stuff donated by suppliers. You're buying not just for this year but for your stockpile as well.

Last year, we got solenoids, NPT fittings, a crimper, pneumatic tubing, among other things. None of it ended up on the robot.

[JB987]

Originally Posted by Munchskull

I think that FIRST Choice is great. I always love to look at the stuff and am excited since this year I will have a large say in what my team gets. The tool that I would absolutely love to see on the list would have to be a 1/2" hex broach.

Pretty sure you won't be seeing that broach on FC anytime soon...