Why Onshape Is the Ultimate CAD Platform for FIRST Robotics Teams

If your FIRST Robotics team is looking for a competitive edge this season, the right robot design tools can make all the difference. That’s why so many top teams have turned to Onshape CAD, the only professional-grade, cloud-native CAD and PDM system that's free for students and educators. With no installs, no IT headaches, and no limits on collaboration, Onshape empowers your team to design faster, iterate more freely, and focus on building a winning robot.

Informal surveys suggest that Onshape is the most widely used CAD and PDM system among FIRST Robotics teams. What's more, an overwhelming number of world championship teams used Onshape to bring their robots to life. Onshape isn’t just a helpful tool. It’s the platform proven by champions.

And here’s the best part: Onshape is the same tool used by cutting-edge companies like Trek, Garmin, Ocado, BOA, and K2. When your students learn Onshape, they’re not just getting better at CAD. They’re building a future in modern product design.

1. Free EDU Plans, No Strings Attached

Onshape offers completely free access to its full-featured CAD and PDM system for educational use – no limited trials, no hidden costs. Your team gets industry-grade CAD tools with nothing to install, and no need to ask your school’s IT department for help. It’s the most frictionless way to get your entire team designing.

2. Cloud-Native CAD: Work Anywhere, Anytime

Unlike traditional CAD, Onshape runs entirely in the browser. Your team can access their robot designs from any device: Windows, macOS, Linux, or Chromebook, whether they’re in the classroom, in the shop, or at the competition. No installs. No updates. No IT support required. Just open a browser and get to work.

3. Built for Team Collaboration

FIRST is a team sport, and Onshape was built for collaborative design. Similar to Google Docs, multiple students can work in the same document at the same time, seeing each other’s changes live. Mentors can jump in and provide instant feedback. Design reviews happen in real time, without the confusion of saving, emailing, or copying files.

Onshape makes it easy to securely share your models with sponsors, mentors, and collaborators through simple link sharing. Outreach and marketing team members can view and engage with the designs in real time, even without a CAD background or installed software. It’s a powerful way to showcase your team’s work and build stronger sponsor connections.

4. Branching & Merging: Safely Try New Ideas

Need to try a new idea without messing up your main design? With Onshape’s built-in version control, your team can create a branch, test out a new intake, drive system, or arm concept, and if your idea works, merge it back into the main assembly. If you hit a dead end, no problem. Your original design remains untouched. It’s team experimentation without risk – all ideas welcome!

5. Share Your Iterations with Judges

FIRST Robotics teams can leverage Onshape’s Versions and History features to clearly demonstrate their design and iteration process to judges, showcasing how their robots evolved over time with each engineering decision. By creating named versions at key milestones, teams can highlight specific improvements, design pivots, and problem-solving strategies, aligning perfectly with the engineering design process that judges value.

Where to Get Onshape-Ready Components for Your Robot

One of the biggest advantages of Onshape for FIRST teams is how easy it is to drop COTS (Commercial Off-the-Shelf) components directly into your assemblies. No more downloading STEP files, importing, fixing mates, or setting materials.

FRC and FTC Library Apps

Public libraries created by the FIRST community contain thousands of common components, such as wheels, motors, gearboxes, structural elements, and more. These libraries are available as searchable apps inside Onshape.

• FRC Library App
• FTC Library App

Vendor Models (e.g., REV Robotics)

Some vendors now offer public Onshape models of their products. For example, REV Robotics shares assemblies like this:

• 3in MAX Swerve Drivetrain

Custom Features for FRC

Onshape supports custom features for FIRST Robotics. With just a few clicks, you can generate gussets, channels, spacers, and more.

Kitbot and Field Models

Prior to the start of each season, the Onshape education team works with FIRST to ensure that the FRC Kitbot and field models are provided in Onshape so teams can utilize them for their design processes.

Open Alliance Models

The Open Alliance is a collaborative movement in which teams share their robot designs throughout the season. With Onshape, these shared models are instantly accessible, editable, and reusable – perfect for learning and rapid iteration.

• Open Alliance Directory

7. A Future-Proof Skill, Used by the Pros

Onshape isn’t just for robotics. It’s used by professional engineers around the world. Trek designs high-performance bikes with it. BOA uses it to engineer precise fit systems for footwear and helmets. Garmin and K2 rely on it to bring new consumer products to market. When your students master Onshape, they’re using the same tools as real-world engineers. It’s not just a tool for this build season. It’s a launchpad for their engineering careers. In fact, you can get a jump start on your professional resume by taking the Onshape Certified Associate exam (free exam vouchers are available for FRC teams).

8. Easy to Onboard, Even for New Teams

Whether you're mentoring a rookie FIRST team or bringing in new members mid-season, Onshape makes onboarding simple. You can quickly set up a team, create shared folders, manage access, and get students designing within minutes. Transitioning from another CAD system? Importing your existing files is easy and seamless – no data loss, no drama.

9. Self-Guided Learning Tools to Level Up Fast

New to CAD? No problem. Onshape’s Learning Center offers free, self-paced courses that walk students through the essentials of 3D modeling. The CAD for Robotics curriculum is perfect for FIRST teams and helps every student build confidence fast, regardless of their starting point.

Where to Learn Onshape for Robotics

Whether your team is brand new to CAD or filled with experienced designers, Onshape offers powerful resources to quickly level up your robotics CAD skills. The best part is that all of them are free.

Onshape Learning Center: CAD for Robotics Curriculum

The Onshape Learning Center offers a full curriculum built specifically for robotics teams. The CAD for Robotics curriculum covers modeling essentials, assemblies, best practices, and collaboration, and it is designed for both FRC and FTC teams.

FRCDesign.org

Created by members of the FIRST community, FRCDesign.org is a comprehensive learning guide and technical reference for using Onshape in FRC. It includes tutorials, workflows, best practices, and design examples made by and for FIRST teams.

Learn by Doing with Open Models

Access real robot designs shared by top-performing teams in the Open Alliance. These public models offer hands-on learning – just open, explore, and see how other teams solve real engineering challenges.

10. A Thriving Community of Engineers and Students

FIRST is about more than just robots. It’s about connecting with others who share your passion. The Onshape Forums are filled with professional engineers, mentors, and students who help each other solve design challenges. It’s one of the few platforms where a high school student can post a technical question and get thoughtful, professional feedback from someone who uses Onshape to design real-world products every day.

Design Without Limits

In FIRST Robotics, your team’s creativity, agility, and execution set you apart. Onshape gives you the power to design without limits. Teams are empowered to collaborate from anywhere, explore bold new ideas, and gain access to the most bleeding-edge tools for free. It’s trusted by world champion teams, backed by leading companies, and supported by a passionate community of engineers and educators.

Onshape isn’t just the best CAD platform for FIRST; it’s the platform for the future of engineering.