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This Q&A is now read-only

Official Q&A: VEX IQ Robotics Competition 2025-2026: Mix & Match

Usage Guidelines All Questions

2720: Cutting Metal

David Sankey (Event Partner)
13-Jul-2025

<G2> VIQRC is a student-centered program. Adults should not make decisions about the Robot’s build, design, or gameplay, and should not provide an unfair advantage by providing ‘help’ that is beyond the Students’ independent abilities. Students must be prepared to demonstrate an active understanding of their Robot’s design, construction, and programming to judges or event staff. Students should build, design, and code the Robot with minimal Adult involvement.

  1. If an 8 year old wants to shorten a shaft and the coach determines that they do not have the "independent ability" to do so, can the coach cut it for them?

  2. Would it be OK if a student found a shaft in a bin that had been previously cut to use on their robot?

  3. A middle school has determined that it is safe to cut with a hacksaw but not with a power tool. At a competition, a situation arises where they only way that the robot can only be repaired by the next match is by using a power tool to make a cut. Would it be appropriate for the adult to make a cut with a power tool in this scenario to cut the metal?

G2   R19  
Answered by committee
17-Jul-2025

As stated in rule <G2>, "This rule operates in tandem with the REC Foundation Student Centered Policy..."

Section 6.a.i of the Student Centered Policy specifically categorizes your scenarios 1 & 3 as student-centered and allowable,

Student-Centered Examples: ... Young students need to cut down a metal axle, but cannot safely use the cutting equipment. An adult cuts the axle after students mark the desired length, and uses the opportunity to teach the students how to use the tool safely.

Reusing a simple cut part, such as the cut shaft in your scenario 2, would also be reasonable under rule <G3>.