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CAD Studio

Mechanical design, one feature at a time

A beginner-friendly path into Onshape — the free, browser-based CAD tool used by many FTC teams. Learn the workflow, practise on real robot parts and submit your designs.

Sketch52ConstrainExtrudePartAssembly
01

CAD roadmap

  1. 01

    Set up & navigate

    Create a free education account, open a document and learn to orbit, pan and zoom.

  2. 02

    Sketch with intent

    Draw 2D profiles and fully define them with dimensions and constraints.

  3. 03

    Build parts

    Turn sketches into solids with extrude, revolve, fillet and hole features.

  4. 04

    Assemble

    Insert parts into an assembly and connect them with mates that model real motion.

  5. 05

    Design for the robot

    Design a part that fits real kit hardware, with tolerances for manufacturing.

02

Written tutorials

  1. Step 1Create an Onshape education account using a school or personal email (with a guardian's help if needed).
  2. Step 2Create a new document and name it after your team and project, e.g. "Team – Chassis Bracket".
  3. Step 3Find the Part Studio tab (for designing parts) and the Assembly tab (for combining parts).
  4. Step 4Practise the view controls: right-drag to orbit, middle-drag or Ctrl+right-drag to pan, scroll to zoom.
  5. Step 5Use the view cube in the corner to snap to Top, Front and Right views.
03

Practice challenges

Beginner

Shaft spacer

Design a round spacer that slides over a shaft to keep a wheel in position.

Requirements
  • Inner diameter with a small clearance over the shaft
  • Length set by a variable
  • Chamfered edges
SketchRevolve or extrudeDimensions
Beginner

Motor mounting plate

Design a flat plate that holds a motor and bolts to a channel using your kit's hole pattern.

Requirements
  • Hole spacing matches your kit documentation
  • Clearance hole for the motor shaft
  • Rounded outer corners
Hole patternsVariablesFillets
Intermediate

Sensor bracket

Design an L-shaped bracket that holds a distance sensor at a fixed angle facing forward.

Requirements
  • Mounts to the frame with at least two bolts
  • Sensor holes from the sensor's documentation
  • Assembly showing it on a channel
Bends or multiple extrudesTolerancesAssembly
Intermediate

Claw finger

Design a gripper finger that attaches to a servo horn and holds a game element of your choice.

Requirements
  • Attachment that matches your servo horn
  • Two named versions showing an improvement
  • Notes explaining the change
Sketch profilesShell or pocketIteration
Advanced

Intake roller assembly

Assemble a roller intake: two side plates, a shaft, a roller and a motor mount.

Requirements
  • Revolute mate on the roller
  • No collisions through a full rotation
  • A bill of materials listing every part
AssembliesRevolute matesMotion check
Advanced

Drivetrain side plate

Design a side plate for a drivetrain with bearing holes, motor mounts and weight-saving pockets.

Requirements
  • Bearing holes with correct fit
  • Pockets that keep the plate stiff
  • A drawing or screenshot with key dimensions
Design for manufacturingPatternsConfigurations
04

Design examples

Illustrative example

Motor mount: from flat plate to stiff bracket

Problem
A flat 2 mm plate flexed when the motor accelerated, and the chain kept skipping.
Approach
The team added a 90° flange, increased the bolt count from two to four and moved holes to match the kit pattern.
Result
The bracket stopped flexing and the drivetrain ran without skipping during a 20-minute test.
Illustrative example

Claw finger: three versions

Problem
Version 1 gripped well but dropped elements when the robot turned quickly.
Approach
Version 2 added a curved profile; version 3 added a pocket for a rubber grip pad.
Result
The team tested each version and documented the success rate of each one in their portfolio.
Illustrative example

Sensor bracket: designing in tolerance

Problem
A 3D-printed bracket's holes came out too small, so the sensor would not fit.
Approach
The team printed a small test coupon with holes in 0.1 mm steps to measure their printer's real tolerance.
Result
They updated a single variable in Onshape and the next print fitted first time.
05

Your submissions

Sign in to submit designs and track CAD progress.

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06

Official resources

Rookie Academy is not affiliated with Onshape or PTC. Onshape is a trademark of PTC Inc.