In an inspiring demonstration of innovation and teamwork, Texpand, a young South African robotics team, recently made history by winning the 2024 FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) World Championships.
The team’s success was assisted in part by high-tech polymer components donated by polymer supplier, igus, whose contribution played a valuable role in enabling the team to achieve world-class performance. According to team director and mentor, Greg Buckle, the victory not only highlighted the potential of South Africa’s youth in the global robotics arena, but also showed how collaboration between industry and education can lead to extraordinary results.
The FIRST Tech Challenge is a prestigious international robotics competition designed to ignite a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) among high-school students. Teams of young school-going ‘engineers’ are tasked with building and programming robots to perform specific tasks in competitive matches, which are designed to mimic real-world engineering challenges. Teams are given about four months to design, build and refine a robot to outscore their opponents. The 2024 FTC World Championships had over 200 teams from across the globe vying for the coveted title.
Texpand, a community team based in Cape Town, consists of students aged 12 to 17 from a diverse range of backgrounds. The team embodies the spirit of inclusivity, embracing diversity in terms of gender, race, geography, and socio-economic status. Their passion for STEM, coupled with their mission to make robotics accessible to students across South Africa, has driven them to success both nationally and internationally.
Buckle says that a turning point in Texpand’s 2024 season came when igus, through its Young Engineer Support programme, donated various polymer components, including Drylin linear guides, telescopic rail slides and energy chains. The team soon found out why these are renowned for their performance, durability and lightweight design, and they were able to build an innovative robotic arm with seven degrees of freedom, a feature that was instrumental in sealing their victory.
“Our robot’s prismatic joint, built using the igus Drylin N low-profile linear rail also allowed the arm to extend laterally across the gameboard, providing the robot with an exceptional range of motion. Its prismatic joint enabled us to score game points more efficiently by reducing the time needed for driving, allowing our robot to handle game elements while competitors were still positioning their machines. This innovation helped us become one of the most sought-after partners in the alliance selection phase of the competition, and as a result we triumphed in the elimination rounds, securing the 2024 FTC World Championship title,” says Buckle.
He adds that while Texpand’s technical ingenuity and the polymer components from igus were crucial, the mentorship and collaborative efforts of the team were the key ingredients that led to victory. The volunteer coaches had no prior experience in robotics, yet played a fundamental role in facilitating the team’s learning and development. They connected team members with professionals in STEM fields, and fostered a culture of problem solving, teamwork and continuous improvement.
Texpand’s win not only demonstrated their engineering prowess, but also earned them the coveted first place Control Award. This award recognises innovative thinking in solving game challenges through autonomous operation, intelligent control, and the integration of sensors. The robot’s exceptional control system, driven by igus’ advanced mechanical solutions, was a defining feature that helped them dominate the competition.
Following their victory, the team members have been hard at work leveraging their success by putting together a programme to raise the level of awareness and involvement in robotics for high schoolers in South Africa. Through the IGNITE programme they hope to secure more resources and sponsorships to start new teams and provide opportunities for young students across the country to participate in FTC. “We want our success at the World Championships to highlight the potential of South Africa’s youth and underscore the importance of corporate support in fostering this talent,” says Buckle. “The kids have high goals and dreams for this to get off the ground − it has so much potential.”
For the upcoming 2025 season, the team has already received additional polymer components from igus, and is hard at work designing new robotic prototypes. Team Texpand’s goal is to defend its title, while simultaneously raising the level of competition in South Africa by mentoring and supporting other teams. The team’s achievements send a clear message to South Africa and the world. With the right support, the next generation of engineers can lead the way in solving the challenges of tomorrow.
Any companies wishing to offer sponsorship, assistance or mentorship please contact Lynn Robinson at lynntracyrobinson@gmail.com
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