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The official VEX U Robotics Competition Question & Answer system has closed for this season.

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

Usage Guidelines All Questions

2534: Clarification Regarding Q&A 2113

ATUM
13-Feb-2025

The 2nd item at the beginning of Q&A 2113 specifies that:

Sensors integrated into Electromechanical Assemblies - These are more complex systems that are available off-the-shelf that integrate sensors, but also integrate mechanical assemblies that are not purely sensors. These mechanical assemblies likely contain parts that would need to be "fabricated" by the VEX definition, but are not fabricated by team members. Examples include but are not limited to odometry pods with built in, spring loaded wheels, encoder housings that allow for pass-through of shafts, and/or gearbox assemblies with integrated encoders.

The mention of "encoder housings that allow for pass-through of shafts" seems to be contradictory with previous rulings and the rest of the Q&A. Our team and many others make use of encoders like the AMT102-V (https://www.sameskydevices.com/product/motion-and-control/rotary-encoders/incremental/modular/amt102-v?srsltid=AfmBOor5sbjVy_yMNSTTdaZpm9MmJ4MLEjnPcb0D1Yy1qPXJc-M-rX5l) and have for several years.

These meet the "not simply 'drop-in' parts" criterion given, as they require significant design integration for mounting and usage. They meet the "sensors that act purely as a sensor to detect motion or rotation" criterion.

Are AMT102-V encoders still legal for competition use?

Thank you.

Answered by committee
14-Feb-2025

the AMT102-V Encoders should generally be considered legal for competition use.

The wording in our response to Q&A 2113 answer was not clear in a few places, and for that we apologize.

The intent of the phrase "encoder housings that allow for pass-through of shafts" was meant to disallow commercial, off-the-shelf mechanical assemblies that sensors can be mounted into that mechanically transfer power from a mechanism to the sensor. If a sensor, like the AMT-102V, is designed in and of itself to have a pass-through/through-bore, it should not be considered illegal. However, a pure magnetic hall sensor or shaft encoder mounted to a commercially obtained housing that creates a through-bore/pass-through assembly should not be considered legal, as that part could now conceivably be determined to be a Fabricated Part, and one made by somebody NOT on the team. A team-designed and manufactured housing that performs a similar action would be legal.

Sensor integration is a challenge that is on the Teams to figure out. Solutions that err closer to "complete packages" or which eliminate the integration challenge are probably not legal.