CAD teamwork
Organize shared models, coordinate changes, and keep manufacturing files matched to the robot.
A shared document helps only if teammates know where to work and which geometry they can depend on. Agree on a small set of conventions before several people start designing connected .
Organize by job
Use names that tell a new student what a tab contains. Robot layout, Intake parts, Intake assembly, and Main robot are easier to follow than Part Studio 17.
One document can be enough for a small team. Larger projects may benefit from separate subsystem documents linked into a main . Split the work when it makes ownership or performance clearer, not simply to create more folders.
Keep purchased components identifiable by their actual part numbers. Give custom parts a stable name or number, and keep their revision in the manufacturing record. Record quantity and material in the part properties so the is useful.
Assign responsibility
For each shared area, name a person who coordinates changes. Teammates can still contribute, but someone should know when a mounting pattern or mechanism position changes.
Before moving a mounting hole, pivot, or other shared part of the design, tell the people whose work depends on it. Moving an pivot can change a transfer position, belt length, mounting plate, location, and setpoint at once.
Keep a short note explaining which reference and mounting holes teammates should use, how much room the mechanism needs, how far it moves, and where it passes the game piece. Link to the relevant sketches and parts so everyone can find the current .
Use history and versions
Onshape's history records edits. A named preserves a particular document state. Make versions at useful milestones, such as a tested or the design sent for manufacturing.
A workspace is editable. A branch lets you explore a different approach from an existing state. Use a branch to try an idea separately from the main design; a separate branch for every tiny adjustment can create unnecessary coordination work.
Name milestones by what they mean, such as Intake prototype ready or Parts sent for cutting. “Final” becomes confusing when it is followed by “final 2.”
Update linked parts deliberately
A linked component may reference a specific version of another document. If someone changes the source model, assemblies that use an older version may still show the old part.
Check the update indicators, review the change, and inspect the affected assembly after updating. Check that the mounting holes still line up and the mechanism still moves as expected, even if Onshape shows no errors.
Keep shared dependencies simple. A central layout can drive subsystem geometry. Avoid a loop where each subsystem needs an update from the other before either can rebuild.
Match the real robot
Builders sometimes drill a new hole, trim a spacer, or move a sensor to finish an assembly. Record these changes while they are fresh and update the model before ordering replacements.
Keep the released CAD version, drawings, and parts list together. Mark a replaced revision clearly so another student does not manufacture an obsolete plate.
At the end of a design change, ask someone else to find the part, explain its mounting, and locate the correct manufacturing file. If they cannot, improve the document before adding more detail.