Our robot will start within the frame perimeter but during the match it has the possibility extend past the 15 in extension rule. When everything on our robot is working correctly there will be no extra extension, but it could have the possibility to extend past the 15 in rule if it’s not working correctly. Will we be penalized if the robot has the possibility to extend past 15 inches or will we only be penalized when the robot extends past 15 inches during a match?
The only penalty you will receive is that the inspector will tell the head ref that you have the potential to go more than 15" outside the FRAME PERIMETER. Then the refs will be watching you. :eek:
Only when we see an extension outside the FRAME PERIMETER will you get a FOUL. If it doesn’t malfunction for you, no FOUL.
G18 ROBOTS may not extend more than 15 in. beyond their FRAME PERIMETER.
Violation: FOUL. If repeated, offending ROBOT will be DISABLED.
Every time you go past your frame perimeter by 15" it could be a FOUL
FOUL is bad
Fouls are for actions, not for capabilities. You won’t be penalized for having a robot that theoretically can overextend if it never actually does it.
Repeatedly going past your frame perimeter, you could be DISABLED.
DISABLED is worse.
Do whatever you reasonably can to mitigate this so that it happens rarely (or better, never) rather than commonly.
If the device is not working properly, Disabling the robot could save the team fouls, which may not be “worse” 
The reason for the disable after repeated fouls is that, in theory, a team could just take the foul points as part of a strategy. The referee disable is there so that teams cannot take advantage of this.
Remember that if you disable your own robot, (self disable) fouls can still be called against it. Disabling does not stop fouls from being called.
In the case of a foul from a perimeter extension, you would initially be called for a penalty for an illegal extension even if you had disabled your own robot. and THEN you would be “disabled” by the referee which would stop further fouls for this rule (perimeter extension).
Self disabling would not necessarily rule out the first foul from being called.