Parts Redistribution Program

Isentropic Parts Distribution (IPD) collects unused, legacy, and retired VEX robotics parts from established teams and redistributes them to schools, underfunded programs, and community robotics groups. Its aim is to eliminate resource barriers in STEM education.

What the program is for

  1. Increase STEM accessibility by lowering the financial barrier for underprivileged youth to get started with VEX robotics for educational and competition purposes.
  2. Reduce parts waste by making sure all usable robotics parts from retired teams can be given back to the community to support robotics learning.
  3. Empower local teams by providing them with not only hardware but also mentorship and guidance to build, compete, and sustain their robotics programs long term.

Donation pathway

  1. Collection

    Donors, whether retired teams, graduating seniors, event partners, or school districts, complete the donation form below. It asks for contact information and organization name, the parts available to donate, and when they are available, along with whether the donor can drop the parts off or needs them picked up. Pickup is limited.

  2. Processing

    Components are sorted into usable, repairable, and recyclable bins. V5 brains, controllers, sensors, motors, and batteries are checked, and dirty or oxidation-prone metal parts are cleaned.

  3. Inventory

    Parts are cataloged in an inventory tracker under three categories:

    • Structure and motion: steel and aluminum channels, gears, wheels, axles, sprockets.
    • Electronics and power: brains, smart motors, sensors, cables, chargers.
    • Hardware and pneumatics: screws, nuts, standoffs, gussets, tubing.

  4. Distribution

    Underfunded or new robotics programs submit the parts request form below (the IPD grant request), describing the program, the specific parts or equipment it is missing, and a mentor or coach to contact along with the address of its meeting space. Requests are reviewed on a rolling basis, and approved teams are matched with kit bundles based on what the inventory holds.

Volunteer hours

To recognize the effort involved in preparing a donation, and to keep the processing pipeline moving, the program offers official volunteer or community service hours to donors who organize, clean, and deliver their hardware before hand-off. Hours are awarded case by case.

For teams, individuals, event partners, and school districts with VEX parts to pass on.

A list or rough inventory: structure, motors, sensors, electronics, hardware, pneumatics, and their condition if known.

When the parts can be handed off.

Pickup is limited; drop-off is preferred where possible.

Request parts

For underfunded or new robotics programs. Requests are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Specific part needs or missing equipment.

Where the program meets, for delivery of an approved kit bundle.