Re-using bumpers

[vigkvagkv2]

My team was thinking about re-using parts, or the whole of, last year's robot bumpers. Someone said that this wasn't legal because they are "manufactured" at this point or something like that. Can anyone help verify this, with citing the rules? I've looked them over myself, but found nothing regarding this.

[alectronic]

This is prevented under <R23> this year and past years. Everything that is evenually part of your 2011 HOSTBOT or MINIBOT must have been build / assembled after kickoff. (See definition of BUILD SEASON).

Sorry to be the bummer.

[vigkvagkv2]

But how is this any different from using aluminum bars or brackets or screws and such from a previous year's robot (which countless teams do) and using it on this robot? Say, what if we tore apart last year's bumpers and only used the fabric to create new bumpers? Wouldn't it then be considered assembled after kick-off?

[Bob Steele]

If teams are reusing any materials that were modifed in any way... they are not operating within the rules.

Individual non-modified fasteners or other COTS materials that were used on the robot that were NOT modified in any way can always be reused.

Bumper angle would be considered modified if it were cut to length. This would be the same as for any fabric or pool noodles or plywood.

The point of the build season is to build a robot.
The parts of the robot that have to be made for that robot HAVE to be manufactured during the allowed build time. Materials that are COTS are just assembled on to the robot. They can be reused. You could reuse your bumper fasteners if you hadn't modified any of them or made them custom for past year's robots.

If teams are reusing materials from past robots they should be abiding by the rules.

No one will know if you use a piece of angle on your bumpers...but YOU will know and YOU will know that you didn't abide by the rules.

I have said online before.... that the best way to judge your character is to see what you do when no one is looking.

[Jimmy Nichols]

This question was also asked in the FIRST forums and the GDC said that the bumpers need to be remanufactured. I am unable to quote as the FIRST forums are blocked on our schools network.