Further Confusion on the Withholding Allowance

[2010FRC2200]

As far as i know all Canadian team received the following email from Richard Yasui (Regional Director) today.

Hi Teams,

I know all of you are working hard to finish your robots. I have two important items for you at this time:

1. Bag and Tag

I have received quite a few inquiries about this so I wanted to review the system:

If your first regional is a "Bag and Tag" Regional:

1. You need to use one of the bags you have to bag your robot and use one of the tags with the serial number to seal it BY midnight Tuesday February 23.
2. An adult over 18 (usually a mentor), who is willing to be responsible for the robot must sign the tag and fill in the Robot Lockup Form found here:

http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...t.aspx?id=3570

3. The robot must be stored by the team in a safe place where it will not be touched until the "Bag and Tag" Regional.

*** Please note that your robots can be subject to inspection in the sealed bag anytime after the robot ship deadline.

I will provide more information about the regional and how to bring your robot in next week after ship day.

2. 65 Pound Holdback

You should all know about the 65 pound holdback that you can keep and work on until the competition. If you haven't seen this, make sure you read the modification to the rules in The Robot document or in one of the updates.

*** Please note that you are only to hold back subsystems and parts that can be added to your robot. NOT the main part of your robot.

Good luck to all of you and if you have any questions or problems, don't hesitate to contact me. (by e-mail is best this weekend)

Take care,


Richard Yasui


FIRST Robotics Administrator


Toronto District School Board


Regional Director for FIRST Robotics Canada


140 Borough Drive, Level 1


Toronto, Ontario


M1P 4N6


416) 396 5907


richard.yasui@tdsb.on.ca

This contradicts the Q+A post here: http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=14653

I would just like to verify that the GDC's decision is going to be the one enforced at the regional events. And to make sure that all teams receiving this email understand that it is incorrect.

Thank you,
Adam Bochek

[2010FRC2200]

Hypothetical situation: A team builds its robot such that it weighs 60 lbs without the battery or bumpers. They choose to withhold the entire robot and ship the bumpers in the crate. FRC HQ has passed down a message that this is illegal, but this Q&A (see http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=14653) implies that this is fine. Which interpretation is correct?"

[2010FRC1827]

The updated shipping rule allows withholding "up to 65 pounds of your robot weight." Is that to be interpreted to mean that a team may withhold its entire bot if the weight of the entire bot is less than 65 pounds? Additionally, if that is the correct interpretation, what effect does that have on a teams allowance of duplicate replacement components? Also, if the team is able withhold the entire bot, and is going to a bag and tag event, what do they bag?

[GDC]

The information contained therein does NOT supersede the official rules published by FIRST. The official rules previously issued by FIRST, and the related official Q&A answers, still apply.

Rule <R38>, as amended in Team Update #11, permits the TEAM to utilize a 65 pound WITHHOLDING ALLOWANCE. The choice of which FABRICATED PARTS of the ROBOT are included in the WITHHOLDING ALLOWANCE is entirely up to the TEAM.

Please note that a ROBOT is an assembly of FABRICATED and COTS parts. Teams attending traditional events may not bring fully assembled ROBOTS to the competition. Teams attending bag & tag events may not bring a fully assembled ROBOT that has not been bagged. For both traditional and bag & tag events, teams may bring up to 65lbs of FABRICATED parts for use on the ROBOT, even if their ROBOT weighs less than 65lbs. It is OK if you then complete the final assembly of the full ROBOT once you are on-site.