Parts Suppliers
Learn about the parts suppliers for FRC and how they give you options you never dreamed of before
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Learn about the parts suppliers for FRC and how they give you options you never dreamed of before
Last updated
Was this helpful?
Learning about the parts suppliers is one of the keys to engineering. a task or job may seem impossible one minute, then after finding a tool or part, seem like its already solved and its time to move onto the next engineering problem.
This isn't just for FRC/FTC/FLL. This is for all engineering/programming professions. A company may have nails sticking out of their roof and contract you 1000000$ to solve the issue because they just don't know how to fix it. So what do you do? spend 1000000$ developing a bespoke solution involving AI, or just look through the shelves at home depot and sell them a 12$ Roofing hammer?
Knowing your options is vital to success in a world with Billions of other engineers also solving problems. This would be best characterized as "being efficient" and also being a good problem-solver, as well as being resourceful.
Many times we have No budget to accomplish our goals, so saving money in engineering and development can be the deciding factor if a project is a failure or a success.
FRC Specific Suppliers
Non-FRC Specific Suppliers
Go to each Suppliers website WITH your class and your mentor. If you see any item for sale you want more information on CLICK ON IT and read. After reading show your mentor and explain its function to them.
What motors does this supplier sell that are allowed in the FRC Rules? has our team ever used these (check our old bots)?
Do they sell gears? belts? what is the Tooth size on these? has our team ever used these (check our old bots)?
Do they sell chains? like bike chains? does it sell the sprockets for these? what sizes chains/sprockets are available? has our team ever used these (check our old bots)?
Does this supplier have a Swerve drive we can buy from them? what other parts are needed to make it work or does it include all needed parts?
What is a linear actuator? does this supplier have one available?
what is a 180 degree gear box?
If we wanted to use 2 motors to turn 1 driveshaft do they sell any systems that could help?
Does this supplier sell any gear sets that we can use to "tune" between torque and rpm (twisting force vs speed). has our team ever used these (check our old bots)?
Does this company sell any parts to sense the Rotation of a shaft (through bore)?
Does this company sell any switches that we can use to sense locations/objects? what is a switch? It just says yes or no. is a touch sensor a switch? is a laser break a switch? Is a Distance sensor a switch? Is a color sensor a switch? Is a magnetically activated Digital signal a switch? Can we detect pressure inside of pneumatic and use that info like a switch?
Does this company sell any common frame parts? like round tubes? hex shafts? extruded aluminum with pre-drilled holes? These parts are very commonly seen. Look at all of our previous robots and see if its available on REV.
Does this company sell common FRC electronics for our control systems? For distributing power around the robot? Or controlling pneumatic pumps? Or regulating power to prevent "brown outs"? Do we use these? What are they for?
We need to dress up our robot! Do they sell Lights? Do they sell a light controller? Whats its name?
If we decided to use any of these parts, how would we include them in our Robots CAD file? We need to know if the parts will fit! Does This company provide any STL or Stp Files (3d models) that we could put into our cad for part fitment or design considerations.
What motors does this supplier sell that are allowed in the FRC Rules? Has our team ever used these (check our old bots)?
Do they sell gears? belts? What is the Tooth size on these? Has our team ever used these (check our old bots)?
Do they sell chains? Like bike chains? Does it sell the sprockets for these? What sizes chains/sprockets are available? Has our team ever used these (check our old bots)?
Does this supplier have a Swerve drive we can buy from them? What other parts are needed to make it work or does it include all needed parts?
What is a linear actuator? Does this supplier have one available?
What is a 180 degree gear box?
If we wanted to use 2 motors to turn 1 driveshaft do they sell any systems that could help?
Does this supplier sell any gear sets that we can use to "tune" between torque and rpm (twisting force vs speed). Has our team ever used these (check our old bots)?
Does this company sell any parts to sense the Rotation of a shaft (through bore)?
Does this company sell any switches that we can use to sense locations/objects? What is a switch? it just says yes or no. Is a touch sensor a switch? Is a laser break a switch? Is a Distance sensor a switch? Is a color sensor a switch? Is a magnetically activated Digital signal a switch? Can we detect pressure inside of pneumatic and use that info like a switch?
Does this company sell any common frame parts? Like round tubes? Hex shafts? extruded aluminum with predrilled holes? These parts are very commonly seen. Look at all of our previous robots and see if its available on REV
Does this company sell common FRC electronics for our control systems? for distributing power around the robot? or controlling pneumatic pumps? or regulating power to prevent "brown outs"? do we use these? What are they for?
We need to dress up our robot! do they sell Lights? Do they sell a light controller? Whats its name?
If we decided to use any of these parts, how would we include them in our Robots CAD file? We need to know if the parts will fit! Does this company provide any STL or Stp Files (3d models) that we could put into our cad for part fitment or design considerations.
Does this website sell a battery tester?
This website is one of the original website for FRC to buy parts. They still sell many parts you may recognize, but they also manufacture the entire field! this website has plenty to see. Please read through all the previous questions and answer them.
Do you see a COTS part for climbing?
This website was once more applicable to FRC but has went its own way. Go ahead and see whats available but much of it is for their competitions and not FRC/FTC/FLL.
This website is great Follow all the same questions/task as CTRE/REV/ and other FRC suppliers.
If a student isn't paying attention then they will have these task printed and they will answer in it quiz format.
Other Supplier Lists
Navigate to the and click on the "ION" lineup of parts (Or click on the Competition->FRC button). in 2024 "ION" was essentially considered their FRC lineup. The "DUO" lineup is considered the FTC lineup of parts, though they can be used in FRC if you find a perfect application and want to use them.
Go to and click Shop->ALL Products .
Head to and follow all the same questions/task as CTRE/REV/ and other FRC suppliers.