Intake

Intake

An intake is the part of your robot that picks up or collects game objects — like balls, discs, cubes, or rings. Before your robot can score, it first needs to grab the game piece! Choosing the right intake design can make your robot fast and efficient, or slow and frustrating to use.

Why does this matter?

The intake is often the difference between a robot that scores many points and one that struggles to collect pieces at all. A well-designed intake works quickly, reliably, and does not jam.

Compression

Almost every intake design relies on a key idea called compression. Game pieces are rarely perfectly rigid, and intakes are not perfectly rigid either. To grab an object without jamming, the intake needs to squeeze the object slightly — pressing against it from both sides.

This squeezing creates friction, which is what allows spinning wheels or rollers to pull the object into the robot. Think of it like squeezing a ball between your palms — you can spin your hands and the ball moves with them.

Roller / Conveyor Intakes

A roller intake uses one or more spinning shafts with rubber wheels, silicone rollers, or tread flaps. When the robot drives toward a game piece, the spinning rollers grab it and pull it up and into the robot.

• How it works: A belt or conveyor (like a tiny treadmill) often pairs with the rollers to carry the game piece deeper into the robot’s storage area.
• Pros: Fast and continuous — can collect many objects in a row without stopping.
• Cons: Designed for a specific shape of game piece. If the game piece changes, the intake may need to be redesigned.

Flex Wheel Intakes

A flex wheel intake is a variation of the roller intake using flexible rubber wheels or rubber flaps on a spinning axle.

• How it works: Instead of the game piece compressing, the rubber wheel or flap bends out of the way when it hits an object. The rubber wraps around the object, creating a larger contact area and stronger grip.
• Pros: More forgiving — can grab objects from farther away or at awkward angles.
• Cons: Rubber can wear down or stretch over many matches, reducing effectiveness.

Claw Intakes

A claw intake uses mechanical arms powered by a motor or pneumatic piston to physically pinch and grip a game object.

• How it works: The robot drives up to an object with the claw open, then closes the claw to hold it. It holds on using motor stalls or a mechanical locking mechanism.
• Pros: Very precise and secure. Once grabbed, objects are hard to lose or steal. Works well for oddly-shaped or heavy game objects.
• Cons: Slow. The driver must carefully line up the claw, stop the robot, close the claw, move the object to the goal, and then open the claw again. Usually limited to one object at a time.

Passive / Wedge Intakes

This type of intake uses no motors at all! It relies entirely on the robot’s forward speed and a wedge or ramp shape to scoop objects in.

• How it works: The robot drives directly into the game piece. The angled wedge shape scoops or guides the object into the robot.
• Pros: No motor cost — saves motors for other mechanisms. Simple to build.
• Cons: Only works well at decent speeds, and cannot actively hold onto objects.

Comparison Table

Each game is different, and the best intake depends on the shape, size, and location of that game’s pieces. There are many variations of these intake types that can be combined or adapted for specific challenges!