Student Lead FRC Team Alpine Robotics 159

Dear PCBWay

My name is AJ Archuleta, and I am a member of the student-run, student-led Alpine Robotics Team 159 at Poudre High School.

I am reaching out to share an opportunity for you to support our team as we continue to grow, compete, and inspire through STEM. Our robotics team participates in FIRST Robotics competitions, where we design, build, and program industrial-sized robots to solve complex engineering challenges.

FIRST is a children's K-12 engineering program that has children compete on many different levels, from FLL, which uses Legos, to FRC, which is full 100+ lb. robots. Each year, there is a new game and theme that all levels of FIRST use. This year, the theme was Rebuilt, with a heavy focus on archaeology and geology. In the FRC game, robots were designed to collect and shoot small yellow balls into a hexagonal goal area to score points during matches. Teams had to design mechanisms that could pick up the balls, store them, and launch them accurately, while also working together to create strategies for the competition. Learn more here, or at https://www.firstinspires.org/programs/frc/game-and-season  

Our robot from team 159 Alpine Robotics this season is built at the maximum allowed frame dimensions, measuring 28.5" × 26.5" × 30" (L × W × H) and weighing 113 pounds. The design focuses heavily on ball storage and shooting, making it essentially a large hopper and shooter system. During a match, the robot can extend 12 inches outward, increasing its size to 28.5" × 38.5" × 30". This extension allows for significantly more ball storage. Our main design goal was to maximize hopper size and shooter volume so we could hold and score more balls at once. This strategy allows our team to perform well in competition even if our shooter is not the most accurate. By storing a large number of balls, we can score over 80 points in a single hopper cycle, while most teams can only hold and score around 20–50 balls. The robot moves using an omnidirectional four-wheel drive system called swerve drive, which uses eight motors to control both driving and steering. This system allows the robot to move freely in any direction and reach speeds close to 20 mph, giving us fast and precise movement around the field. 

Here you can watch one of our matches -> https://youtu.be/le7dBxTuIkQ

(The YouTube button was not working thus why I'm just giving you a link)

Through this experience, students gain hands-on skills in engineering, programming, project management, and teamwork—skills that prepare us for future careers in science and technology. Beyond technical knowledge, we also develop leadership, communication, and problem-solving abilities that extend far beyond the classroom.

However, participating in robotics comes with significant costs, including materials, tools, registration fees, and travel expenses for competitions. To continue providing these valuable opportunities, we are currently seeking sponsorships for the next season. Your support would directly impact our ability to innovate, compete at a higher level, and represent both our school and community with pride.

We believe Alpine Robotics is a good fit for PCBWay because there are many instances in which we need to make our own PCBs for specialized purposes on our robots, for example I made/designed my own PCB to control lights on our robot and am currently getting them made by your PCB service. I also know many kids on our team have hobby projects that would need a PCB fabricating service (including me) exactly like the one you provide. I've seen how adamant you company is on supporting student led STEM projects, so I think it would be awesome for us to get some support from a company we genuinely use, and we are exactly the kind of project your company likes to sponsor.

In appreciation of your generosity, we would be honored to recognize PCBWay in the following ways:

Displaying your logo on our team shirts and robot

Promoting your support through our social media platforms and public events

Representing your organization at competitions and community outreach events

We sincerely appreciate any level of support you are able to provide. I would be happy to share more details or discuss how we can tailor a sponsorship partnership that aligns with your goals.

Thank you for your time and consideration. Your support helps empower students and expand opportunities in STEM education.

Sincerely,

AJ Archuleta :D

Alpine Robotics, team 159

alpinerobotics@gmail.com