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Official Q&A: VEX V5 Robotics Competition 2024-2025: High Stakes

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2080: SG2 clarification

81988E
1-Aug-2024

<SG2> According to the description of rule SG2, the robot cannot expand in two horizontal directions, and cannot exceed the 24-inch limit at any time during the game. My questions:

  1. With both expanding in only one direction and neither exceeding the 24-inch expantion limit, can the robot be expanded in one direction at qualification matches and expand in another at skills matches?
  2. What if I have a robot that is mechanically capable of expanding beyond the 24” limit, but has a control program limit and does not exceed it during the whole match. Is this permissible?
SG2  
Answered by committee
8-Aug-2024

With both expanding in only one direction and neither exceeding the 24-inch expantion limit, can the robot be expanded in one direction at qualification matches and expand in another at skills matches?

Yes, but you'll have to follow clause B of rule <R3>, which requires that all possible functional Robot configurations be inspected before being used in competition. This especially pertains to modular or swappable mechanisms (<R1>) and Match starting configurations/sizes (<R4>).

If a Team wishes to change the Robot's expansion direction, the new direction must be identified by the Team before the Match, whether it's a Skills, Qualification, or Elimination Match (and the Robot must have been inspected in that configuration).

What if I have a robot that is mechanically capable of expanding beyond the 24” limit, but has a control program limit and does not exceed it during the whole match. Is this permissible?

Yes. The rule says "may only," not "must only be capable of." That said, if your control program limit fails you risk a Violation of rule <SG2> and will be subject to the judgment of the Head Referee.