Rule M14

[archiver]

Posted by Raul.

Engineer on team #111, Wildstang, from Rolling Meadows & Wheeling HS and Motorola.

Posted on 1/10/2000 6:18 AM MST


In Reply to: Rule M14 posted by Joe Johnson on 1/9/2000 7:20 PM MST:




: According to rule M14:

: '...FUNCTIONALLY IDENTICAL replacement parts are allowed. FUNCTIONALLY IDENTICAL implies a part that is of THE SAME GEOMETRY, MATERIALS, ETC. AND NOT AN IMPROVED DESIGN.'

: This rule seems to forbid doing anything to that part except replace it when it breaks! It seems to forbid something so easy as re-making the part out of steel for example.

OK, so this interpretation cannot be correct! If so, then if you are overweight, you cannot change your design to meet the weight limit. If you have illegal wheels that damage the carpet, you cannot change them to make them legal. If you used an illegal part or used a part in an illeagal way you cannot change it.

If that is true then many teams will go home without competing!

So, how about if they change it to allow changes only if you don't meet your weight or some other criteria of the rules? Then those who are illegal have an advantage - they can change their design and others cannot.
One would be compelled to be over-weight so they can modify their robot to 'make it legal'.

The only interpretation that makes sense is to allow any changes at the competition before passing inspection only and/or before seeding matches begin (changes during practice rounds should be allowed - you may need to be re-inspected).

I like the old interpretation (I also spoke to Eric to get clarification in the past), you can make changes while the robot was in your hands. You could not make changes after you were inspected until you were done competing. This is the only way it makes sense. And because of the new shipping rules, that time is limit.

One more thing - what is engineering and science all about? It is about learning about technology and using that knowledge to improve things. It is no fun to compete in a regional and lose badly and have no hope of doing better in the nationals!

I've said enough for now.

Raul