Purchase/Prebuild - What's the difference?

[MikeDubreuil]

Originally Posted by Bill Gold

Mike,
There was no part of last year’s manual that stated “Every part on your shipped robot must be obtained during the build time.” That is an incorrect statement. It says in Rule <R09> “Mechanisms from previous year’s robots may not be used, however, individual off-the-shelf components from previous year’s robots may be re-used to save the cost of re-purchase of these parts IF they meet ALL of the 2004 Additional Parts and Materials Rules.” <R09> later says that if you use a part from an old robot its cost must (obviously) be factored into your robot’s budget for inspection. This makes it pretty clear that your statement ““Every part on your shipped robot must be obtained during the build time” is incorrect.

Yeah, I think I forgot about that part of the new rule, convieniently because I don't like it. It should have read every part of your shipped robot must be a new part unless it's an off the shelf item.

(I realize the wording of the rule includes off the shelf item from your old robot, but that's unenforcable)

I believe that if AndyMark or GaryDill or any other team forms a corporation, which I assume is what’s happening here (for tax, liability, and other issues), they’re legally within their right to do so in this capitalist society we live in.

Originally in my post I said they could sell it at a combined price. I guess I see no reason why they should give anything other than a total price.

I think we could make life so much easier if FIRST didn't include rules that allow only certain old parts. I don't want to go back to the day where we only had Small Parts, they were slow and expensive. However, I also have a hard time saying everything on your robot must be obtained during the build.

It would be dishonest for me to say that we didn't put fasteners on our robot that we obtained before kick off. Or that we didn't have sheets of polycarbonate laying around that we didn't use on the shipped robot.

Therefore, I would like to see a new rule:

1.) All parts on a shipped robot must have been obtained during the build season, with the following exceptions:
a.) Fasteners- machine screws, wood screws, bolts, nuts
b.) Raw Stock- Sheets of aluminum, polycarbonate, channeled metal