Top-Down Design
Design the robot from the top down — a master layout sketch dictates the parts, not the other way around.
01
Top-Down vs Bottom-Up
Top-down means high-level sketches dictate the design; details come after.
- Bottom-up builds parts first, then hopes they fit.
- Top-down sets the architecture, then models parts into it.
- FRC favors top-down because integration is the hard part.
02
The Master Layout Sketch
One sketch holds the big dimensions; every part references it.
- Capture mechanism sizes, field limits, and robot constraints centrally.
- Each component is modeled around that shared framework.
- Change the layout once and the whole robot updates.
FUSION 360 · SCREENSHOT
add → course-shots/1d-01/1.png
FIG 1
Key idea
Architecture dictates parts — not the reverse.
Integrate by design, not by luck.
Recap
TOP-DOWN DESIGN
- High-level sketches drive the design
- Master layout sketch, referenced everywhere
- Shared origin at drivebase-center, floor level
- Architecture first, parts second
Your Task
Build this
- Model what this lesson covers in Fusion 360.
- Use the AltSkripts tools where they apply.
- Save it with a clear name.
How to submit
- In Fusion: Share → Public Link → Copy.
- Paste the link below.
- A coach reviews it in AltHub.