Hi guys!
I recently learned that in FRC, teams are’nt allowed to re-use fabricated parts they’ve made before. However, my team purchased 4 Max Swerve modules from REV and made a swerve bot for 2023 season. Are we allowed to re-use the MAX swerve modules for the coming 2024 season?
Best regards
Rocky S
MAXSwerve is a COTS (commercial off the shelf) item, so it can be reused year to year.
R302: R302
Thanks!
But isn’t your Swerve Module constitute a major mechanism (as per i101 - movement)? So as such you cannot reuse a prebuilt completed module? Isn’t the context is so that this current year’s team is the one that built the current COTS Swerve module (assuming it is one of the COTS swerve system - any custom swerve system).
Unmodified COTS parts are exempt from the rule prohibiting the use of pre-fabricated parts (as of R302E). Swerve modules would be protected under this rule.
A single module, generally speaking, is not a major mechanism. 4 modules, bolted together with a frame, is a major mechanisms. Be sure to read through the examples provided in the blue box under I101, it indicates that a COTSCommercial, off-the-shelf part, assembled per the manufacturer’s spec, is generally not going to be considered a Major Mechanism.
So, you can’t use the same base as last year, but you can use the mechanisms. You just have to take them off your old frame first.
However this could still be exempt. R302, Exemption E says
COTSCommercial, off-the-shelf items, or functional equivalents, with any of the following modifications:
a. non-functional decoration or labeling,
b. assembly of COTSCommercial, off-the-shelf items per manufacturer specs, unless the result constitutes a
MAJOR MECHANISM as defined in I101, and
c. work that could be reasonably accomplished in fewer than 30 minutes with the use
of handheld tools (e.g. drilling a small number of holes in a COTSCommercial, off-the-shelf part).
If it’s a major mechanism, it does not fall under part b, but if it can be done in 30 minutes (cutting aluminum stock to length and bolting it in probably can), it still falls under part c and would be exempt from the rule.
However, you probably will want to remake the frame because you will want a different sized chassis. This also wouldn’t include any bellypans or other structure on your frame, because that may be pushing the 30-minute rule.
I think you could get away with a bellypan, I have jig-sawed a couple of wood belly-pans, not ideal of course, but you could get away with it, or at the very least the basic frame.
We are lucky enough to have a new set of MaxSwerve Modules for the 2024 season. We will be reusing the modules we purchased over summer for our practice/everybot chassis.
If you are going to reuse the same modules you used in 2023 I highly recommend a full strip down and cleaning! We’ve had a NEO keyway get lose, an encoder get wiggly, and all sorts of dust/carpet/duct tape make its way up into the modules.
There is an extent to which it’s important to remember that these rules are aimed at keeping the playing field level, and they are self enforced. Exactly what constitutes a major mechanism may not be as important as what would give a competitive advantage. If keeping your old drivebase together only saves you $100 and an hour or two of time, who really cares? I’d recommend tearing down the drivebase to check the condition of components and resize it for the new game, but it’s not really required.
Don’t let R302 scare you away from reusing any COTS components, the rule is there to keep elite teams from developing complex, expensive components and reusing them year after year, not raise the cost to compete for mid level teams relying on COTS components.
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