Prototype, prototype, prototype!  Before diving into the design, we build prototypes of potential key mechanisms.  They are nothing fancy, but they get the job done and yet they provide valuable information on the concept's feasibility.

Decisions... not by committee!  We find that "designing by committee" often leads to design compromises.  As a result, we empower team members to lead and own decisions in the area they are subject matter experts in.

Don't get behind!  The six-week build season goes quickly, so when something needs to be done, do it.  You only compete a few times in the season, so make the most of the build season.

We use OnShape, a 3D modeling software.  We essentially complete our entire robot design on the computer before actually fabricating any parts (well, we often start fabricating assemblies prior to design phase completion, provided that they have a low risk of their design changing later).  The reasons why are nearly endless, but here are a few:

• Doing so greatly enables an integrated design, one where assemblies can efficiently coexist.  The result? Compact and lightweight designs.

• Doing so allows the weight of the robot to be approximated sooner than later.  The result?  Not having to remake/modify parts (a.k.a., "Swiss-cheesing" the robot... We've all been there!), or worst yet, eliminating mechanisms altogether.

• Doing so allows structural analyses to be conducted on key parts.  The result?  Parts that are sufficiently strong without being excessively heavy.

• Doing so enables concurrent engineering.  The result?  Fewer "surprises" due to on-the-fly design work completed independently, only to find out at integration that those designs do not work together on the robot.

• Doing so enables motion analyses.  The result?  The motion and functionality of mechanisms can be determined upfront prior to fabrication, greatly reducing redesigns and re-fabrication.

We fabricate essentially all of our parts on metal machining equipment, including:

• Manual mills

• Manual lathes

• CNC mills

• CNC lathes

Additionally, we use the following machines:

• Wire EDM machine

• CNC laser cutter

• TIG welder

• Sheet metal shear

• Sheet metal brake

We also frequently use the following:

• Vertical band saw

• Horizontal band saw

• Vibratory deburring machine

• Bead-blasting cabinet

• Drill press

To program the CNC equipment, we use SprutCAM, a great CAM software package that integrates into OnShape.  Doing so enables the equipment to be programmed directly from the 3D computer model of the part being machined.  Benefits include:

• Very fast programming time.

• Reduced likelihood of programming errors.

• Programs automatically update if the part's design changes.

Our robots have been programmed in a few different languages over the years:

• 2005 - 2008: C

• 2009 - 2014:  LabVIEW

• 2015 and beyond:  Java

Besides the above languages, we also teach Processing during the off-season.

Simple! Contact us. Though our team is primarily known as high-school robotics club, team membership is NOT limited to 9th-12th grade students. We offer FIRST Lego League to 4th - 8th graders and FIRST Tech Challenge as an introduction to FIRST Robotics Challenge for 8th-10th graders. 

Students interested in FLL can join in May, though the season starts at the beginning of the school year. FTC and FRC starts in August.

If you are unable to join this season, keep up with us on social media!

We meet essentially year-round.  Check out our calendar for an actual schedule, but here is a our general schedule:

• January-April (Robot Build/Competition Season)

  • Monday-Thursday:  6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

  • Fridays: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

  • Saturdays: 9:00 am to 9:00 pm

  • Sundays: 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm

  • Other meetings "as needed"

• May-December (Summer and Fall Learning Season)

  • Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

The intensity of the above schedule (especially January through April) can make people hesitant to join.  No need to worry!  We put academic performance first, and understand that team members have lives outside of Robotics (though some students/mentors would argue the latter).  Thus, while we do expect some level of commitment, we do not expect all team members to be at every meeting.

Our team was formed in the fall of 2004, and we competed in our initial FIRST Robotics Competition in 2005 (Triple Play).  More information can be found on our About Us page.

It varies a bit by year, but we typically have between 60 to 80 students and 15 mentors.

Quite likely!  We have a few paths for the "unsure" crowd:

• We get students that do not think they are interested in engineering, only to find out that it is a blast.  We have numerous students that were headed down a non-engineering career path, only to change to engineering in college after being on our team.

• We get students that truly have no interest in engineering, but still contribute greatly to our team's success.  Here are a few ways how:

  • Website.  Design website pages and create fun/useful website content.

  • Spirit.  Design shirts, make all sorts of swag, create cheers, and get the team pumped up!

  • Awards.  Do you like to write?  If so, there are several awards that involve writing essays.

  • Media.  Like taking pictures are making videos?  We could use you!  We create slide shows and team videos for our competition, banquet, etcetera.

  • Buisness. Learn how to keep our team running behind the scenes by managing our petty cash and team rosters.

Yes!  Besides having fun learning about all of the "engineering stuff" and important life skills, we like to hang out and have fun "off the clock".  Game nights, movie nights, holiday parties, and banquets are just a few of the fun things we do.

Great question!  Our original meeting place was Silver Creek High School.  Our rookie year, we found ourselves "up a creek" a few times during the build season.  Thus, the name Up-A-Creek Robotics was born.  On a side note, we believe that being up a creek without a paddle is actually a better scenario than being down a creek without a paddle, so yay for our name again!

First, thanks to our sponsors for their support.  We would not exist without them.  Our main sponsors are Fifth West Investments, Toro, St. Vrain Valley School District, Seagate Technology, Amgen, and Dynamic Design & Manufacturing.  Additionally, we have a range of other great sponsors located on our sponsors page.

Our home base is 950 S Sherman Street, Unit 300, Longmont, CO.

We meet essentially year-round, so we really do not have an off-season, per se.  Having said that, we generally focus on the following outside of the robot build/competition season:

• Community events

• Building technical and non-technical skills

• Sponsor visits

• Additional learning activities

• Running educational summer camps

Us!  Simply fill out the Contact Us form to get more details.

Our team hosts educational and fun summer camps in June and July. These camps are very affordable and students love them! We host camps like Cooperative Minecraft Camp, 3D Printing, Intro to Java, and manual lathe and mill machining camps. 

Students on the team also have the opportunity to learn skills across all subteams during the summer and fall. From coding to photography, there will always be something to keep their interest!

Great question! Parents help from fundraising to meal prep, all of which benefit our team. Contact Us to see how you can help!