Official Q&A: VEX U Robotics Competition 2025-2026: Push Back

<VUR3> “Fabricated Parts may be made by applying the following manufacturing processes to legal Raw Stock:” <VUR4> “> Fabricated Parts must be made from legal Raw Stock. To be considered Raw Stock, the material must be purchased in one of the following forms before undergoing the fabrication processes listed in <VUR3>:”

These rules are very specific about Fabricated Parts being made from legal Raw Stock and what the definition of Raw Stock is, but <VUR3> raises questions whether or not teams can use legal Raw Stock on their robot without modifying it in some way. Do teams have to modify the legal Raw Stock before using it on their robot?

For example, if a team needed a 12” piece of aluminum tubing for a structural element of their robot, would they be allowed to use this: https://www.mcmaster.com/89965K354/, or would they have to get a piece longer than 12” and cut it down to 12”?

Or, in another instance, if a team wanted to make custom omni wheels and they needed a certain length rod for the rollers, could they use these: https://www.mcmaster.com/97395A140/, or would they have to again get longer ones and cut them to length?

• Are teams allowed to use Raw Stock material on their robot without modifying / fabricating it?

If teams are allowed to use Raw Stock material without team fabrication, the next question is a mute point, but if they have to fabricate every Raw Stock piece in some way before using them on their robot, what counts as enough fabrication?

If teams are allowed to get Raw Stock and cut it down, how much has to be cut? For example, if a team wanted a ½” rod, could they get a ½” rod and lathe 1/64” off one end? Could they drill an end slightly, chamfer the ends, or tap the rod with a hammer and technically bend it slightly?

• If teams are required to fabricate every piece of Raw Stock they want to use on their robot, how much fabrication is necessary before they are allowed to use the piece?