Is the use of electromagnets allowed on the Minibot as long as it is made from the FTC kit of parts?
im gonna mark yes since it says yes to “magnets” but check around
Only way to know is to post it on the Q&A…
According to <G19> you could use it to make sure your minibot remains attached to the pole as it climbs, or if your electromagnets are powered by one of the motors you might be able to get away with it for vertical movement (but even this i’m not sure of I would ask Q&A). Regardless all of your minibot’s vertical movement must come from the motors in some way, and no energy can be stored on your minibot before deployment.
<G19> After DEPLOYMENT, MINIBOTS must remain completely autonomous and move
up the POST solely through electric energy provided after DEPLOYMENT by the
permitted, unaltered battery and converted to mechanical energy by the
permitted unaltered motors (and associated, appropriate circuitry).
I think yes, since the rules say it is allowed as long as you do not break rules about stronger batteries or making your bot too heavy. Hope that helps.
The real question is (IMO), where do you want to put the power output of your batteries – in the motors, or in an electromagnet?
Highly recommend this! No matter what we say we won’t be right because we are not the GDC.
my team has seriously thought of making a custom motor.
<G19> After DEPLOYMENT, MINIBOTS must remain completely autonomous and move
up the POST solely through electric energy provided after DEPLOYMENT by the
permitted, unaltered battery and converted to mechanical energy by the
permitted unaltered motors (and associated, appropriate circuitry).
Emphasis mine, I don’t think this would be allowed by the rules (but I’m not the GDC so the only real way to find out is to ask Q&A). The GDC, in my opinion, is limiting the minibot rules so much to see who can make the lightest minibot and who can deploy it the fastest. If you can get one or both of those down then you should be good to go!