Builder

As a Builder for a VEX IQ Robotics Competition team, your primary responsibility is to physically assemble the robot that your team has designed. You are the engineer who turns a plan into a working machine.

1. The Student-Centered Build

Because VEX IQ is a student-centered program, the robot must be built entirely by students.

• Adult Boundaries: While adults are encouraged to teach you concepts and demonstrate techniques, they are never allowed to work on the robot for you.

• Problem Solving: If a part of your robot fails, an adult can help you consider why it failed so you can improve it, but they cannot investigate the failure or put the robot back together themselves.

• Originality: Your team should not directly copy another team’s robot. While you can use VEX "Hero Bot" plans as a starting point, you are encouraged to modify and improve them as your skills grow.

2. Legal Parts and Materials

You are limited in what you can use to build your robot. Using illegal parts will cause your robot to fail inspection.

• VEX IQ Line: Robots must be built only from official VEX IQ products.

• Legal Exceptions: You may also use specific non-VEX parts, including:

  • Rubber bands (no larger than 7.5” x 0.25”).

  • 1/8” metal shafts from the VEX V5 line.

  • Mechanical/structural parts from the VEX GO or HEXBUG lines.

  • Food-safe lubricants used in moderation.

• Prohibited Items: You cannot use 3D-printed parts, tape (except for small labels), or anything that could damage the field or other robots.

3. Electronic Limits

Every robot is restricted to a specific "brain" and motor count:

• The Brain: You are limited to one VEX IQ Robot Brain.

• Motors: You may use up to six VEX IQ Smart Motors.

• Accessibility: You must build the robot so that the Brain’s on/off button is easy to reach and the screen is visible to referees.

4. Size and Expansion Rules

The robot must fit within specific measurements to be allowed in a match.

• Starting Size: At the beginning of every match, the robot must fit within a volume of 11” wide x 20” long x 15” high.

• Expansion Limits (Horizontal): Once the match starts, the robot can expand horizontally, but it can never exceed an 11” x 24” footprint.

• Expansion Limits (Vertical): There is no limit to how high the robot can expand once the match begins.

5. Construction Rules for "Level Up"

• One Object Rule: The robot must be built to interact with only one Bean Bag at a time.

• Easy Removal: You must design the robot so that Bean Bags can be easily removed by hand without needing power or a controller after a match is over.

• License Plates: The robot must have exactly two official license plates with your team number, mounted on opposing sides and clearly visible at all times.

6. Modifications and Maintenance

• Cutting and Bending: Most parts cannot be modified, but you are allowed to cut metal shafts and pneumatic tubing to custom lengths. You can also tie knots in string or rubber bands.

• Mid-Match Repairs: If your robot breaks during a match, you can perform a reset to reattach parts that fell off, but you cannot swap them for different parts or add new ones.

• Inspection: Your robot must pass a full inspection before it can compete. If you make significant changes to the robot during the event, you must have it re-inspected.

7. Collaboration and Documentation

• The Notebook: Work with your team’s Notebookers to document your build process, including how you tested the build and how decisions were made for fixing things that didn't work.