A team of middle- and high-school students in Gibsonton,
Florida are showing off their math and science skills by designing, building and programming a competitive robot using
IKO International linear guides. With IKO in their corner, the
team is outscoring rivals and setting records along the way.
They call themselves Neutrinos 6433, and the team competes in the FIRST Tech Challenge at a Central Florida tournament held in Lakeland, Florida. FIRST (For Inspiration
and Recognition of Science and Technology) inspires innovation and leadership in young people through engaging, team-based robotics challenges. The challenges are designed to demonstrate the accuracy, timing and precision of
the robot. For example, one match pitted four robots against
each other inside a ring. Competitors were given a task that
tested their robots’ ability to maneuver around the ring, and
to grasp, arrange and stack Lego-like blocks.

The Neutrinos 6433 team discovered IKO while researching
potential linear motion guides to design into the robot. IKO
International sponsored the Neutrinos 6433 team and supplied the linear motion guides that helped lead the robot to
victory. IKO was also available to mentor Neutrinos 6433,
and the team tackled their challenges with little assistance,
using the following IKO motion guides:

MX linear motion guide. One of the highest performing
and dependable guides available. The MX Series guide features a slide unit that operates on a balanced set of four cylindrical rollers housed in a rigid casing, giving it high load
capacity and exceptional stiffness and resistance to moment
loads. This construction maximizes accuracy, produces a
more compact design than ball-type units, and it gives the
robot its streamlined size and excellent maneuverability. The
MX Series is available in four different lengths—including
an extra-long unit MXL that’s 1.4 times the standard slide
unit length—so the students were able to achieve long extensions to stack items with smoothness and precision. The
MX Series also offers a high load capacity and C-Lube technology for long-term, maintenance-free operation—because when you’re battling for robotic supremacy, you can’t
slow down to lubricate your guide.

LWL linear motion rolling guide. The LWL Series incorporates two rows of stainless-steel balls arranged in a fourpoint contact design with the raceways. Although small, it
provides stable accuracy and rigidity due to its simple design
even in operations under fluctuating loads with changing direction and size or complex loads.
LWF linear motion rolling guide. This series provides continuous linear motion thanks to a wide track rail and highly
rigid slide unit. Two rows of large-diameter steel balls and
a four-point contact design with the raceways ensure high
stability and accuracy, even under fluctuating and complex
loads. The wide rail also supports large moment loads in the
axial direction.

The results have been impressive! While Neutrinos teams
have performed well in their previous eight years in the
Challenge, this year’s team made significant gains. Neutrinos 6433 achieved front-runner status, boasting the highest
scores and highest average score among the other 20 participating teams. Not only did Neutrinos 6433 produce high
scores, they also posted back-to-back world record scores
before being eclipsed by another team. As of this writing,
Neutrinos 6433 have the highest average score among teams
from around the country. That’s no small feat! Thanks to their
hard work, skill and determination plus exceptional linear
guides from IKO, Neutrinos 6433 is clearly the team to beat.

Dassault Systèmes and Xometry recently announced their
partnership to provide customers with a seamless, integrated way to produce parts that accelerates the concept to
manufacturing process. Engineers using Dassault Systèmes’
Solidworks and Catia applications will have automatic and
immediate access to Xometry price quotes on MAKE Marketplace for manufacturing parts, without leaving their design environment.

Engineers can now play a greater role in the design to
manufacturing aspect of part production by focusing on the
shape of a prototype as well as the cost to produce it. Whereas
sourcing manufacturing price quotes from service providers used to require a dozen clicks in a web interface, it now takes
place instantaneously in a one-click immersive experience
integrated with Solidworks and Catia. Engineers can view
Xometry price quotes on their screen in the context of their
design, and click to have it manufactured, all while retaining
the option to get instant or manual quotes from other MAKE
Marketplace suppliers.
“We launched the MAKE Marketplace in 2018 to make it
easy for customers to design and manufacture. Our partnership with Xometry takes this a step further,” said Sébastien
Massart, head of corporate strategy, Dassault Systèmes.
“Customers can order high quality additive manufacturing
or CNC machining parts in one click at the right price, thanks
to Xometry instant quoting capabilities. This is all part of our
vision to continuously reduce the friction that customers
face going from design to manufacturing.”
Through this partnership, Xometry becomes the first
“prime partner” of Dassault Systèmes’ MAKE Marketplace.
This new category recognizes qualified service providers having industrial-grade quality certifications, and production
capacities to answer demanding needs as well as high satisfaction rates. Dassault Systèmes plans to add other “prime
partners” to the 3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace ecosystem.
“Engineers need the right tools to do their job successfully,
and this includes working with a responsive, trusted manufacturing partner,” said Randy Altschuler, CEO, Xometry. “As
the leader in 3D printing and on-demand manufacturing, we
have served many customers in the MAKE Marketplace since
its launch. Through our deeper partnership with Dassault
Systèmes, we can directly connect with customers and make
a commitment to provide a quote on every customer query.
It’s all about faster manufacturing.”