Drivetrains, mechanisms, fabrication, and pneumatics.
The Mechanical & Build branch is where a robot becomes physical: the drivetrain that moves it, the mechanisms that score, and the structure that holds everything together. This department covers drivetrain architectures (tank/west coast, swerve, mecanum), the common scoring mechanisms (intakes, shooters, elevators, arms, climbers), and the power-transmission, materials, fabrication, and assembly fundamentals that make them reliable. You will learn to read manufacturer specs from real vendors, choose between commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) and custom parts, and build robots that survive a full competition season.
nobody reads these in order, that is fine
modules
12
lessons
47
reading time
21hours
mastered
0per cent
reading is free, no account needed
the path
A start-here primer on the physics and mechanical fundamentals every FRC builder needs before designing mechanisms. You will learn how engineers measure and specify parts, how forces and Newton's laws govern motion, how torque and levers multiply force, and how simple machines and gear ratios trade speed for strength. Each lesson connects the core physics to concrete FRC build decisions so the department's later, hands-on lessons make sense.
The drivetrain is the foundation of every robot. This module compares the major architectures used in FRC, the wheels and motors that power them, and how to choose the right one for a game.
Motors spin too fast and too weak to use directly. This module covers how to convert that speed into useful torque with gears, chain, belts, and sprockets, and how to calculate ratios.
A robot is only as good as the frame and joints holding it together. This module covers what robots are made of and how the pieces attach.
With drivetrain and structure understood, this module covers the scoring mechanisms, the tools to make them, and the workflow to build a reliable robot.
Understand what pneumatics is, why teams use it, and the architecture of the FRC air circuit. This module builds the mental model of the two-pressure system and the job of each component before you touch hardware.
A part-by-part tour of every device in an FRC pneumatic system, with real part numbers and specs. By the end you can identify and spec each component and know which controller to buy.
Hands-on: plumb the air circuit, wire the controller, and write WPILib code to run the compressor and switch solenoids. Then design with real force and air-usage math.
The non-negotiable part: the FIRST legality rules, the mandatory required components, and the operational tests that keep your system safe and pass inspection.
Stop reading theory and start building. This module walks through five complete, buildable mechanisms end-to-end: a single-jointed arm, a cascade elevator, a flywheel shooter, a pivoting intake, and a swerve module integration. Each lesson does the full loop, from physics math (torque, reduction, current limit) to real COTS part selection (with actual part numbers) to working WPILib closed-loop code you can paste into a robot project. Every number is sized so the mechanism actually works in a 120 lb FRC robot under the 120 A main-breaker power budget. Treat each lesson as a mini-project you can reproduce on a practice bot during week 2 of build season.
Every team rediscovers the same painful bugs. This module is a field-tested triage manual for the mechanical, build, and pneumatics failures that eat practice time and lose matches: drivetrains that veer, gearboxes that grenade, pneumatics that won't fire, fasteners that vibrate loose, and closed-loop mechanisms that oscillate. Each lesson gives you the symptom, the most likely root causes ranked, a concrete diagnostic workflow, and the fix, grounded in real CTRE/REV/WPILib behavior and community-documented failure modes. Learn to debug like a veteran: change one variable at a time, read the actual data, and confirm the fix before moving on.
Once you can build a working mechanism, this module shows you how the top teams make them fast, light, and bulletproof. We go deep on system characterization with SysId, simulation-driven design with WPILib physics models, motion profiling for crisp superstructure moves, weight-and-stress-driven structural design, and real Open Alliance case studies (FRC 6328, 1678, 2910). The emphasis is on the engineering judgment behind elite robots: choosing reductions from a torque-speed analysis, validating a design in CAD and sim before cutting metal, and packaging serviceable, manufacturable mechanisms. Everything cites real tools, real teams, and real parts.
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