Aluminum Extrusion and Tubing

The 2x1 standard#

The single most common FRC structural element is 2" x 1" aluminum tubing, usually pre-drilled in a repeating hole pattern. Bolting pieces of patterned tube together with gussets lets you build a strong, light, serviceable frame using only a saw and a hand drill.

Vendor systems#

• REV MAXTube — extruded aluminum tubing in 2x1, 1x1, and 2x2 sizes, part of the REV ION build system. The 2x1 carries #10 clearance holes (0.196") on a 0.5" pitch on the 1" faces, and comes in solid, grid, and MAX Pattern (with MAXSpline cutouts every 2") configurations, plus variable wall thickness to tune strength-to-weight. It mates with MAXSpline brackets and a large ecosystem of REV gussets.
• WestCoast Products / VEXpro versa-frame — 2x1 and 1x1 punched tubing with matching gussets and bearing blocks, designed for West Coast drivetrains.
• AndyMark — tube stock, gussets, and the AM14U6 KitBot chassis.

Staying within one vendor's hole pattern means brackets, gussets, and bearing blocks line up without custom drilling.

Aluminum alloys#

• 6061-T6 — the general-purpose alloy for tubing, plates, and brackets. Strong, light, weldable, and easy to machine. The default for most structure.
• 7075-T6 — stronger than 6061; used for highly loaded parts like hex shafts and some gears, but more expensive and harder to weld.

Plates and gussets#

Flat aluminum plate (often 1/8" or 1/4") forms side plates, gearbox plates, and gussets. A CNC router is the typical way teams cut custom plates with bolt patterns that match their tube.

Why aluminum#

Aluminum hits the FRC sweet spot of strength, low weight, machinability, and cost. Steel is stronger but heavy; titanium and carbon fiber are exotic and expensive. For a robot under a strict weight limit, aluminum tube plus selective use of plate is the workhorse.