route 03 / build-and-design-track
Build & Design Track
Design it in CAD, build it in the shop, and bring it to life — the full mechanical engineering pipeline from a sketch to a working subsystem.
5stops
5departments
4skills at the end
82hours of reading
The order to read it in.
Every stop is a department guide you can also reach on its own. Work down the list. Nothing here is locked and nothing needs an account to read.
skip a stop you already do all season
- 01stopGetting Started with FRCdept / getting-started
Understand the build season
See the design-build-test loop and the season timeline so your CAD and fabrication decisions fit the calendar.
open the guide - 02stopCAD & Designdept / cad-design
Design it in CAD
Model parts and assemblies, use FRC standards, and design for manufacturability before any metal gets cut.
open the guide - 03stopMechanical, Build & Pneumaticsdept / mechanical-build
Build it in the shop
Turn the CAD into reality — fabrication, fasteners, gearboxes, and assembly that survive a full competition.
open the guide - 04stopElectrical & Wiringdept / electrical-wiring
Wire and power it
Integrate motors, controllers, and sensors cleanly so your mechanism is reliable and easy to service at events.
open the guide - 05stopSafetydept / safety
Build it safely
Reinforce safe fabrication, machine use, and inspection-ready practices so what you build passes — and protects everyone.
open the guide
end of route / starts in Getting Started with FRC / ends in Safety
What you can do at the end.
Not topics covered. These are the jobs you can be handed on a real team once the route is behind you.
4skills, signed off by quiz
- 01Model robot parts and assemblies in CAD with FRC conventions
- 02Choose materials, fasteners, and fabrication methods that hold up
- 03Build robust, serviceable mechanisms in the shop
- 04Wire and power what you build so it actually runs
stop 01 / getting-started
It starts in Getting Started with FRC.
See the design-build-test loop and the season timeline so your CAD and fabrication decisions fit the calendar. From there the route works down to Safety, and you can stop at any line and stay in that department for the rest of the season.