Does Assembly make Fabricated Items

Technical Technical Discussion
1

Regarding withholding allowance, if we assemble COTS items into kits (without any machining), are they now Fabricated items? The word “built” has me concerned. Any robot inspectors out there that would like to weigh in?

Clarification Examples:

  1. If we put a key, gear, and retainer clip on a CIM motor, is it now a Fabricated Item, even though we could disassemble it and it would be back to its COTS form?
  2. If we assemble a gearbox, does it become a Fabricated Item? Does that change if we lubricate the gears?
  3. If we put a bearing into a bearing block (such as a VersaBlock), does the bearing lose its COTS status?
  4. If we put a sprocket on a fabricated axle, does the sprocket lose its COTS status?

I just don’t know how picky FIRST or Robot Inspectors are going to be, regarding the semantics of these two terms. I’d rather not make a Q&A for this due to their tendency to “we can’t comment on this individual example”.

2

It’s very simple, if you can’t buy it in the configuration you want to bring it in to the competition. It’s not COTS.

3

If you do anything to it after taking it out of the box, it is no longer cots. However, if you can buy it assembled, then the assembled cots item is cots, even if you did it.

Note: cutting the wire, or stripping the end, makes a motor no longer cots

Unless it is big, the withholding allowance is more on the honor system

4

Most of that sounds like Fabricated.

In general, COTS condition means it’s exactly as it was when it appeared in a FedEx box on your doorstep from the manufacturer or off the shelf at a store.

If a disassembled item is also available direct from the manufacturer in an assembled form, then you can assemble it and still count as COTS.

Any hands on work like adding connectors, keys, gears, bolting onto a frame, bringing any to pieces together that were not sold that way is fabricating.

5

Thanks guys for the quick responses.

If assembly DOES make a set of parts “fabricated”, would disassembly (removing gear and key form motor) return the part’s COTS status?

6

Yes, an item can be returned to store condition and count again as COTS.

For instance, I ordered gas shocks that came as a shock, a separate tip, and an activator that screws onto the end.
I put the three pieces together and it was no longer COTS even though it just looks like a gas shock unattached to any new parts, because I could not buy it already assembled.
I unscrew the pieces and it is again as it came in the box and is COTS, because that is how it was bought.

But not machined items like cutting down a shaft or lathing for a clip.
Anything irreversible makes it forever a fabricated item.

7

Thanks Mark. If paid customer service was as fast as CD, the world would be a much better place.

8

R13 fixes that issue.

R13
Physical ROBOT elements created before Kickoff are not permitted. Exceptions are: …
D. FABRICATED ITEMS consisting of one COTS electrical device (e.g. a motor or motor
controller), connectors, and any materials used to secure and insulate those connectors

9

R13 lets you use it this season if you made it before kickoff, but that doesn’t make it COTS (so it still counts against your WITHHOLDING ALLOWANCE if you bring it to an event out of the bag).