What is KrayonCAD?
KrayonCAD is a collection of simplified, configurable Onshape assemblies for the most common FRC subsystems. These subsystems can be modified by changing just a few variables, allowing you to piece together a robot concept extremely quickly and efficiently. KrayonCAD Assemblies only contain the necessary parts to communicate design intent, while minimizing detail and part count to ensure quick load times.
Why should I use KrayonCAD?
After brainstorming ideas for a new game, the first CAD iteration is sometimes a heavily simplified design, commonly referred to as “Crayola CAD.” This workflow is used by many teams, including 254. This is where KrayonCAD comes in; using a library of configurable subsystems, KrayonCAD allows you to:
- Investigate robot architectures
- Budget space
- Verify geometries for robot designs
- Further flesh out robot designs to scale and in 3D
KrayonCAD is fast! You can go from an idea in your head or a sketch to a 3D model in minutes!
How do I use KrayonCAD?
KrayonCAD is a simple as 1, 2, 3:
-
Insert: From any Onshape assembly, use the Insert Menu > Other Documents> search for “KrayonCAD” > Assemblies > Choose an assembly.
- Note 1: The official KrayonCAD release document will always be titled “KrayonCad”, have the green KrayonCAD logo, and have a version number.
- Note 2, if you make a copy of the main document, we are not able to provide fixes to your copy of the library. Moreover, flooding the public search with copies will only worsen the user experience for the teams that need KrayonCAD the most! We ask that you not make a copy, or if you absolutely must, that you rename it to something other than “KrayonCAD” (but please don’t make a copied document if at all possible.)
- Configure: Right click a KrayonCAD Assembly in the parts list > Configure > change dimensions, check or uncheck boxes, and choose options from drop down lists to configure the assembly to your liking.
- Mate: KrayonCAD Assemblies have mate connectors placed in strategic places to allow for easy mating using the Fasten and Revolute mate types.
We’ve color coded the subsystems according to this format, using the second row of the default Onshape color grid:
- Drivebases > Red
- Structure/Arm > Orange
- Shooters > Yellow
- Indexers > Green
- Turret > Light blue
- Intakes > Dark Blue
- Elevator >Violet
- Zoning > Magenta
What KrayonCAD Isn’t
KrayonCAD is not a replacement for traditional CADing, nor will it replace the need for detailed sketches verifying robot geometry, height and extension restrictions, and subsystem interference. KrayonCAD is simply the first step to CADing your robot.
KrayonCAD Limitations
While our Development team endeavored to add the most common FRC mechanisms, you may find that our library may not contain the specific subsystem you need. When this happens you have a few options:
- CAD the missing subsystem in a part studio and add it to your assembly.
- Add a reply to this Chief Delphi post inquiring about adding the subsystem.
- Explore the existing KrayonCAD Assemblies, you may be surprised by what you can achieve with some imagination!
Common Issues
We did our best to test out different configurations to ensure they don’t break the assembly, this includes allowing geometry to intersect itself in a way that works in CAD but would not work in the real world. That being said you may run into a specific combination of configuration settings that breaks a KrayonCAD Assembly. If you do, please make a post in this thread letting us know and include a screenshot of the configuration that causes the break. Also, note that if you change a configuration after mating sometimes the mate will break if the configuration change causes parts to be added/removed. If this happens you just need to edit the mate and replace the missing entity. Finally, let us know if you run into any other issues or have any questions or suggestions!
Who made KrayonCAD?
Contributors
- @Nick.kremer (3512AM)
- Original Idea
- Project Manager
- 2011 Example Robot
- 2012 Example Robot
- 2013 Example Robot
- 2020 Example Robot
- Fixed Hood Shooter
- Helped with Adjustable Hood Shooter
- Roller Claw Intake
- Chief Delphi Post Writing
- @AndrewCard (6657AM)
- 2023 Example Robot
- 2022 Example Robot
- 2018 Example Robot
- Adjustable Hood Shooter
- Arm Segment
- Ball Tunnel
- Clearance Box
- Elevator
- Documentation
- Four Bar Intake
- Generic Belt
- Generic Game Object
- Swerve Drive
- West Coast Drive
- Branding
- Chief Delphi Post Writing
- @Astro_6423 (6423)
- Arm Segment
- Turret
- Adjustable Hood Shooter
- Telescoping Tube
- @bcon (1153/1119)
- Four Bar Intake
- Slap Down Intake
- West Coast Drive
- 2023 Example Robot
- 2022 Example Robot
- Documentation
- @apoorva (1086)
- Pinkarm / Telescope
- Drivebase Team Numbers
- @Connor-8177 (8177)
- Linear Slide Intake
- Swerve Drive
- 2014 Example Robot
- 2016 Example Robot
- 2017 Example Robot
- 2019 Example Robot
- 2020 Example Robot
- Chief Delphi Post Writing
- @DoopSheep (972)
- Adjustable Hood Shooter
- Branding
- Spindexer
- West Coast Drive
- Beta Release Post Writing
- 2015 Example Robot
- @jlr (5937)
- Pasta Roller Intake, my beloved
- Documentation
- @Eliot (111)
- Documentation
Special thanks to @howlongismyname for creating an environment in which projects like these can take off and find contributors.
Final Note
We hope that this library can serve as a useful resource for teams of all levels and that you have as much fun using it as we had developing it!
KrayonCAD Team
