Kickoff is Coming
December 4, 2024
Updated 12/1/2025 at ~4:30pm ET: added width for the foam noodle in the table below.
Just over a month until Kickoff, so it’s time to release the shopping list for the KitBot for items not included in the Kickoff Kits. As mentioned earlier this year, we are not planning to release the items included in the Black Tote prior to Kickoff so if you opted out of the Black Tote, you will need to wait until Kickoff for the full list.
The table below lists the items that teams need to source to build the KitBot:
|
Material |
Qty |
Info |
|
2ft x 4ft Polycarbonate Sheet 0.118in thickness (61cm x 122cm, 3mm thickness) |
1 |
It is okay to use 0.125in material instead if preferred. Make sure to use polycarbonate and not acrylic. Acrylic of this thickness is likely to shatter either when machined or when subjected to the shock of robot operation. Other materials (0.125in aluminum, 0.25in plywood, etc.) may be used but have not been tested and bolt lengths may be affected if modifying material thickness. |
|
2ft x 4ft Sheet of ½in Plywood (61cm x 122cm, 19mm thickness) |
1 |
Used for electronics board. Other materials may be used but have not been tested and bolt lengths may be affected if modifying material thickness. |
|
(Optional) – ¾in Schedule 40 PVC Pipe (20mm DIN PVC pipe) |
60in |
This material is used to make spacers for ½in hex shaft which can also be purchased as COTS parts or can be 3D Printed. The recommended material for these 3D printed spacers is PLA+ (or a similar “tougher” blend of PLA), but lots of materials can work, such as PETG, TPU, ABS or Nylon. If printing, we recommend teams print the spacers in their team colors to add some fun aesthetics to the robot! Teams can reference these files (file automatically downloads) to start 3D printing spacers now if able. · ¼in Long Hex Spacer (KB-26020) - qty 6 · ½in Long Hex Spacer (KB-26018) - qty 4 · 2in Long Hex Spacer (KB-26019) - qty 3 · 3in Long Hex Spacer (KB-26011) - qty 13 |
|
Cable Ties |
29 |
50lb, 8in Cable Ties (~5mm width, 20cm or greater length) These cable ties are available in the Rookie Tote. |
|
Foam Noodle - 2.5in wide (6.35cm) |
1 |
At least 5” is required. Can be created from leftover Bumper material. Rookies will have this material in the Rookie Tote. |
In addition, we wanted to highlight a newly updated resource that we feel is beneficial to all teams but especially those building the KitBot. The Suggested Tools resource has been around for a few years but recently has received a refresh to better provide teams with the capabilities they need to build things like the KitBot and wood versions of game specific field elements.
For this season, we are not requiring teams to have a 3D Printer for the KitBot, but in future years we will likely have designs that require 3D printing at home, so we suggest that teams consider investing in a 3D Printer that can print small parts out of materials like PLA+. The Suggested Tools resource has additional details. A 3D printer is one of the most affordable and user-friendly CNC machines, making it an excellent way to start creating custom parts for your team.