Using VEX GO Beams and Plates – VEX Library

The VEX GO build system is an easy and fun way to allow students in grades 3-5 to build many educational projects. Its flexibility and function can also be used in higher grades.

Diagram of several VEX GO Builds that are built from Beams, Plates, and other VEX GO pieces.

This article will introduce you to the parts which will allow you to build VEX GO projects.

Beams

Diagram of all of the Beam pieces in the VEX GO Kit.

Beams are plastic parts that are one hole wide. Their length is identified by their color and they come in 10 different lengths.

Diagram of a Yellow Beam piece, with an arrow pointing and labeling its Center Hole.

Each of the beams has a center hole that allows them to have a connector placed directly in their center. Center holes provide a great deal of flexibility when building a project.

Diagram of the Adaptation Claw with a label pointing to its pull handle and labeling it as a Pink Beam.

Beams are very useful building parts. For example, in the Adaptation Claw project they are used for a number of things. A Pink Beam is used as the pull handle to close the claw.

Angle Beams

Diagram of all of the Angle Beam pieces in the VEX GO Kit.

Angle Beams are beams that are one hole wide and have an angle. There are four angled beams, including:

a Yellow Angle Beam which has an angle of 45 degrees
a Red Angle Beam which has an angle of 60 degrees on each end
a smaller Green Angle Beam which has an angle of 90 degrees
a larger Orange Angle Beam which has an angle of 90 degrees

Diagram of the VEX GO Crawler build with an arrow pointing to its mouth and labeling it as a Red Angle Beam piece.

Angle Beams allow projects to have structures placed at an angle. This is very useful, whether your project needs to have a major part placed at an angle or an interesting addition. For example with the Crawler project, a Red Angle Beam makes a fun mouth for the robot.

Large Beams

Diagram of a White Large Beam piece, with an arrow pointing to its rows of holes and labeling a Center Hole and Outside Holes.

Large Beams have a very useful pattern of holes. There are two outside rows of holes that are lined up with each other. There is a center row of holes that is located halfway between each of the outside holes. This pattern allows for many different ways that Large Beams can be attached to other parts.

Diagram of all of the Large Beam pieces in the VEX GO Kit.

Large Beam lengths are identified by their color and they come in nine different lengths.

Red Square Beam

Diagram of a Red Square Beam piece, with an arrow pointing and labeling the hole in its center as a Square Hole.

The Red Square Beam is a special large beam. It is two holes wide and two holes long, making it a square part. The special feature of the Red Square Beam is its center hole. The center hole is a square hole.

The square hole allows for a square Pin or a Shaft to be inserted into the hole. The Red Square Beam will be forced to spin whenever the square Pin/Shaft is forced to spin.

Diagram of the VEX GO Clock build with an arrow pointing to its handle and labeling it as a Gray Large Beam piece.

Large Beams are used as major parts in many projects. For example, two Gray Large Beams are used in the Clock project as the handle for the clock.

Plates

Diagram of a Large White Plate piece, with an arrow pointing to its alternating rows of holes and labeling the plate's Hole Pattern as similar to the Large Beam pattern.

Plates are the widest of the plastic parts and come in widths of three-hole wide and four-hole wide. Plates use the same hole pattern as Large Beams.

Diagram of all of the Plate pieces in the VEX GO Kit.

Plates come in five different lengths. Their different lengths are identified by a color.

Diagram of the VEX GO Robot Arm build with arrows pointing to its sides and labeling them as Dark Gray Plate pieces.

Plates are very useful in building projects because they provide many holes to connect other parts. For example, in the Robot Arm project two Dark Gray Plates provide many holes to attach the other parts.

Beams, Angle Beams, Large Beams, and Plates are the parts in the VEX GO system that will allow you to bring your project from the imagination into reality.