Ride the Wave of Innovation: Uncover the Wisdom Behind the FRC Robotics Team

FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is well-known among tech-savvy high school students. As an industrial-level international robotics competition for participants under 18, FRC brings together high school teams from across the globe to showcase creativity and teamwork in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics.

This year, Team 8015 from Shanghai Qibao Dwight High School claimed the regional championship in Istanbul, Turkey, earning the honor to become the only team from mainland China to compete at the Houston World Championship.

This marked Team 8015’s debut at an official international competition — their first appearance on the global stage and first championship title. The achievement represents the joint effort and collective wisdom of over 30 team members.

What does it take for young rookie teams to prepare and compete smoothly in FRC?

Follow us to explore Team 8015, now preparing for the China Regional Playoffs, and discover the great wisdom within this compact team.

Team 8015 on the Competition Field

Thorough pre-competition preparation is essential, with close teamwork to refine design drawings and complete robot assembly.

01 Requirement for Robust Component Manufacturing

In FRC, robots compete in more than a dozen matches. This means mechanical structural strength is paramount. A minor defect in any small part may compromise match performance and even affect the entire competition schedule.

SLA 3D Printed Parts Produced by Xometry

Limited by in-school machining equipment, student teams rely heavily on reliable external component manufacturers. Less time spent on manufacturing communication allows more time to focus on part assembly and iteration.

02 Rapid Emergency Response Solutions

Strict competition rules require teams to finish robot design, assembly, wiring and coding within just six weeks. Every day counts amid the tight timeline.
Temporary part adjustment, replacement and urgent custom production further raise the challenges of competition preparation.

03 Timely Professional Technical Guidance

For young student teams, FRC bridges textbook knowledge and real-world practice. It is vital to verify manufacturability of design drawings in advance to avoid rework and wasted time.
In addition to guidance from school mentors, professional engineers provide valuable manufacturability suggestions and design feedback before order placement.

Robot Model Design Drawing

All blue parts are 3D printed by Xometry

Challenges extend beyond design and production — unexpected on-site issues are another major test for students’ adaptability.

04 Flexible On-site Problem-solving Capability

FRC matches are intense and unpredictable. Complex robot components may fail at any moment, putting students’ on-the-spot problem-solving skills to the test.

Toward the end of the semi-final, when everything seemed to run smoothly, an unexpected failure occurred: the swerve axle was damaged due to a failed small bearing inside the powertrain shaft. After checking all spare parts, the team found they had not brought a replacement bearing.

Members of Team 8015 reached out to other teams for support. FRC participants are known for their collaborative spirit, and fellow teams quickly helped locate a replacement bearing. The joint effort allowed Team 8015 to secure the championship, perfectly embodying FRC’s core value of teamwork.

Xometry’s one-stop on-demand manufacturing capability greatly lowers the barrier of custom part production.

Fortunately, Team 8015 chose Xometry for custom components, saving massive time and effort during pre-competition preparation.

Students Customizing Parts via the Xometry IQE Instant Quoting System

“The IQE instant quoting system features a clear, intuitive interface that allowed us to get familiar with the platform quickly. It provides detailed information including material options, manufacturing processes and lead times, enabling us to fully understand every quotation item. This helps us better plan, manage the manufacturing workflow and make smarter decisions.”

During preparation, Team 8015 uploaded design models to the Xometry IQE system to clearly compare lead times and budgets across different materials and processes, allowing timely adjustment of project plans.

“We were pleasantly surprised by Xometry’s cost efficiency, fast turnaround and outstanding product quality. We previously contacted some lower-cost manufacturers, but gave up after initial communication.
In the end, those suppliers would consume huge amounts of our time negotiating part details and chasing repeated delivery delays — driving up the actual overall cost.

Stable quality assurance and fully traceable order status greatly cut communication costs, which is our most intuitive experience of working with Xometry.”

Professional project engineers also provide timely manufacturability suggestions based on design drawings, helping Team 8015 avoid detours in preparation. Xometry’s one-stop on-demand manufacturing is perfectly tailored for FRC team needs.

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It is a great honor for Xometry to support such a talented team in winning the Turkey Regional Championship. We also look forward to excellent performance from Team 8015 of Shanghai Qibao Dwight High School at the China Regional Playoffs, held August 4–6.

Xometry’s one-stop custom manufacturing service helps turn young innovators’ creative ideas into reality.