VEX Robotics Competition "Make It Real" CAD Engineering Challenge Sponsored by Autodesk®
Have you ever wanted a component for your robot that was not included in the kit of parts? Do you want to design and make something unique that sets you apart from your peers? Then the “Make It Real CAD Engineering Challenge” is for you! Autodesk is sponsoring this challenge and giving you a chance to focus your passion for CAD and apply your skills to solve a real-world design issue.
In this challenge, you will use the same Autodesk 3D design software used by professionals to conceptualize and model a new part for a robot that improves its functionality or overcomes an existing problem. The new part must be designed to fit an existing robot and may consist of multiple pieces that form one part design. The robot may be a competition robot (VEX, FIRST, BEST, PLTW, SkillsUSA, TSA, etc.) or another robot that performs an interesting task. Note that your 3D printed part from this online challenge may be used in the VEX U competition, but not in VRC.
To help you succeed, access to Autodesk software is available at no charge to students. In the Make It Real CAD Engineering Challenge, you must use either Autodesk® Fusion 360™, Autodesk® Inventor®, or Tinkercad™ to model your custom robot part. Whether you’ve used the software before or are brand new to CAD, the Autodesk Design Academy provides lessons and video tutorials for all skill levels.
To get started, carefully read the complete challenge requirements on this page. Then visit the Autodesk Design Academy challenge page to download software, watch tutorials and learn how to create custom parts. When you’re ready, return to this page to submit your entry.
The future is yours to design, and we can’t wait to see how you change the world!
Entries
HS Pillow Block Bearing
Why I created it:
When scrolling through the Vex Products I noticed there wasn't a HS pillow bearing. Seemed like an interesting project and I decided to upload to online challenges.
How I created it and what I learned:
I first collected data on what the dimensions for the HS pillow bearing should be. Based off the ratios between HS bearing and LS bearing and the ratios between the LS bearing and LS pillow bearing.
- Diameter for center hole in HS pillow bearing should be 3.07... Read more
vexv5 ultra light linear motion system.
this a a cheap and easier to use linear motion slider that can use parts you allready have, will also make a vex competition legal version out of compliant materials (legal for current 2020-21 season). i chose to design this in fusion 360 because of the ability to edit on many computers. i also chose to make this because i needed a system that was really light and could expand the full 12 feet of the field verry fast. you can also use this for arms that dont need to hole alot of weight at the end or even something to activate or descore small objects.
If I were to design a new part for VexEDR, I...
https://drive.google.com/file/d/133j1oIliuD1eRbKBD02LMJ4Xl0TcCD2-/view?usp=sharing
Charging Station
VRC High School Team
8931F Vbots Firewall - Lake Stevens High School, Lake Stevens, Washingtion, USA
Final Report, Technical Drawings, and Presentation Notes
The Final Report is in the "Charging Station Final Report.pdf" file in the file section. The Technical Drawings is the "Charging Station Drawing Sheet 1-2.pdf" file in the file section.The Presentation is in the "Charging Station Presentation.pdf" file in the file section.
3D Printing Note
The 3D...

Ratcheting Sprocket
My final report is a PDF document. I am not sure it went through, so I will also leave a copy of the report here. This is not my final submission, as my final one is uploaded directly.
I am in the VRC High School Division.
https://pdfhost.io/v/fQwYtOzwh_Final_Reportpdf.pdf
Ratchets are an important part of robotics: they allow you to have multiple mechanisms run by a single motor. This has become increasingly important over the years with a smaller motor limit of eight being implemented. What I set out to do...
Low Profile V5 Motor Mounts
See files for our full submission
https://pdfhost.io/v/QK3nLJ2Ql_Low_Profile_Motor_Mounts_YNOT_Roboticspdf.pdf
Sleeve Gadget
I Will remake a piece from a sleeve and replace it with a part that can hold most objects such as cards, snacks, small boxes, instead of just a weapon, since it’ll have the same shape on the attachment part, then it will be able to attach itself to the sleeve. I used Tinkercad. You will be able to extend and retract the width so it will have the ability to hold most objects, I researched about the sleeve and made the back of the piece attachable to the sleeve, I made 3 parts and added a spring to one of the parts so it can use pressure to hold the items
Sleeve Gadget
I Will remake a piece from a sleeve and replace it with a part that can hold most objects such as cards, snacks, small boxes, instead of just a weapon, since it’ll have the same shape on the attachment part, then it will be able to attach itself to the sleeve. I used Tinkercad. You will be able to extend and retract the width so it will have the ability to hold most objects, I researched about the sleeve and made the back of the piece attachable to the sleeve, I made 3 parts and added a spring to one of the parts so it can use pressure to hold the items
Compact Planetary Transmission
The Compact Planetary Transmission (CPT) is an adaptive, variable-ratio gearbox. It takes 2 inputs: One high-strength axle input into the sun gear, and one standard-strength axle input into the reinforced carrier assembly. By varying the relative speeds of these elements, the output gear ratio can be manipulated to allow for optimum drivetrain performance across a wide range of speeds.
The CPT takes one motor in each side (sun and carrier) as an input, and a sprocket (ring gear) as an output. In this configuration, the transmission is capable of improving both...
Brain Saver
I also have a pdf of the Final Report: file:///C:/Users/prath/Downloads/VEX%20Robotics%20Competition%20_Make%20It%20Real_%20CAD%20Engineering%20Challenge%20(3).pdf
Brain Saver
Introduction
Brain Saver is a design that will help a lot of people that...
17814C Weston : Ball Bearing Flat
Our part proposal for the “Autodesk Make It Real Challenge” is called the Ball Bearing Flat. This part would replace the bearing flat for situations where low friction is necessary for the robot to succeed. Last season, we found ourselves needing a part that could allow for minimal friction on the drive shaft, so we came up with the Ball Bearing Flat, a bearing flat that uses ball bearings to increase the efficiency and lifespan of a drive shaft by replacing the traditional bearing flat with a bearing flat that has a ball bearing embedded into it. To design our part, we used...
Ez 3X gear ratio
I created this gear ratio piece for the sole porpoise of spiting my teammate jens eckert. This piece was a culmination of all the hatred in my heart for him. I wanted nothing more than to shove this in his face and I created this piece to do such.
CAD 3-D Part Challenge
I created this part as a solution to our issues with building support for our bot while keeping it as lightweight as possible. Having a standoff which spans across 2 dimensions allows us to connect our most unstable parts with each other instead of having to add more heavy solutions, such as additional c-channel. In Fusion 360 (version 2.0.9035), the design process was simple. I simply measured out the dimensions of a regular standoff and replicated the diameter of the threading and outer layer of the standoff, and then I aligned the axes in order to place the second standoff securely in...
41998C - Mineral Sorter
Introduction:
This is my team’s entry for the “Make It Real” CAD Engineering Challenge. This part, the “Mineral Sorter” is designed to solve a problem for the FIRST Tech Challenge 2018-19 competition, called Rover Ruckus. In this challenge, teams would pick up minerals, called gold and silver (2-inch yellow cube and 2.75-inch diameter white Wiffleball respectively), which were mixed together in a “crater” and robots job is to sort them into the “lander” which had mineral specific deposit boxes 30 inches off...
44691R Quality Control: Screw Standoff
Introduction:
My team created the screw standoff. This standoff is like a normal standoff, but with a twist. This standoff has one end with a screw hole like any other vex standoff, but the other end has a screw. This part was created for several reasons. The first reason my team created this part was to get rid of the hassle of having to cut a screw to connect two standoffs together. Another is to also allow the reuse of the standoff, since when normally teams cut the screw and put it into the standoff, the screw sometimes screws into one of the standoffs and is...
4154X Custom parts Factory
Introduction
I decided to create the custom spacer because it is a great vex part to make customizable. Custom spacers let a robot have extremely accurate spacing in its axels and screws. It also lets you use only one spacer in an area where you would normally use many.
Use of Part
The custom spacer would be used in situations where it is favorable to use one spacer instead of many and in situations where precise spacing is needed. Axels that need specific spacing can be serviced with much more ease. This can...
V5 Motor Cooling System
The V5 Cooling Fan
Overheated motors are and have been a very serious problem that VEX robotics participants have had to deal with for years. High temperatures in motors cause several problems, including loss in performance, and shorter lifespans. Over time, participants have attempted to solve the problem by using different methods.
Some teams have tried using cans of cooled, compressed air. While this method is effective in the cooling of the motors, it has two major drawbacks. The first drawback to using...
4154V Calculator Deconstruct
I chose a scientific calculator because it is cheaper than a graphic calculator from Texas Instruments but more complex than a simple calculator. This calculator has three main parts: it has the battery which is connected to the circuit board by two wires which are both positive and negative. The buttons all are recorded when typed into the circuit board and then calculated. After it has calculated the problem the information is transferred to the screen and can be seen for the user.
One-Bar Bearing
VEX Robotics Competition, Team 507A Mustang Robotics
Introduction
We decided to create a new modified version of a one-bar. This modified one-bar is made to allow axles to move freely. In order to make this function, we would make the holes circular and along with that, we would use a nylon material. With this, this would replicate the use of a bearing, and could also replace it as it would serve the same functionality. Although the bearing exists, this would be better as bearings take up some space,...
Make It Real CAD: Shaft Adapter
This shaft adapter was created on Autodesk Inventor Professional 2020, which is meant to securely connect regular shafts to other high strength shafts. This provides engineers with more options to utilize sensors, driven mechanisms, etc when using high strenght shafts. For example, teams can now measure the rotation of a high strength shaft driven systems using potentiometers without any difficulty. Hope everyone likes this CAD Online Challenge.