Using VEX GO Pins, Standoffs, and Connectors – VEX Library

VEX GO is an easy build system which allows students in grades three through five to build many educational projects. Its flexibility and function can also be used in higher grades.

A student engaging with VEX GO pieces in a classroom environment.

This article will introduce you to the parts which will allow you to connect other VEX GO parts together.

Pins

Pins are small plastic parts which are used to build VEX GO projects. There are four different types of pins: the Red Pins, the Green Pins, the Pink Pins, and the Gray Pins.

Red Pins

Diagram of a Red Pin piece, with arrows pointing and labeling its Flange and Pegs.

The Red Pins are the most commonly used connector for the VEX GO system. These pins have two round pegs separated by a flange.

Diagram of a Red Pin piece connecting a Green Beam to a White Plate by linking its Pegs through the pieces' Round Holes.

Red Pins allow any two parts with round holes to be connected together such as a Green Beam to a White Plate.

Green Pins

Diagram of a Green Pin piece, with a label demonstrating that one of its pegs is two times longer than that of a Red Pin.

Green Pins are very much like the Red Pins. However, one side of a Green Pin has a peg which is two times longer than a Red Pin.

Diagram of three Beam pieces being attached to one Green Pin piece.

The longer peg allows for a connection of two levels of plastic parts on one side of the Green Pin and one thickness of a plastic part on the other. For example, one side of the Green Pin can be inserted into a Black Large Beam. An Orange Beam can be inserted on the other side of the pin. Then a Pink Beam can be inserted on top of the Orange Beam.

Diagram of the VEX GO Crawler build with one of its joints circled and noted to be three layers of pieces attached with a Green Pin.

This will allow all three layers of parts to be attached together.

Pink Pins

Diagram of a Pink Pin piece, with labels demonstrating that it has a section that is a Square Peg, a section that is a Round Peg, and then a Cap at the end.

A Pink Pin has some special features. It has a cap to keep it from sliding through a round hole. It has a round section which allows it to be inserted into a round hole and it has a square peg which allows it to be inserted into a square hole.

Diagram of a Pink Pin being inserted through a Blue Beam and into the square hole of a Blue Wheel, securing it into place without limiting its rotation.

For example, a Pink Pin could be inserted through a Blue Beam and its cap will keep it from passing through. The Pink Pin’s round area fits into the hole of the Blue Beam and the square peg can fit into the square hole of a Blue Gear allowing the gear to spin freely.

Diagram of a VEX GO Super Car build with the Pink Pin piece securing a Blue Gear called out by an arrow.

In the Supercar project, the Pink Pin allows the Blue Gear to spin freely and provide a transfer of power from the Rubber Band to the Gray Wheel.

Gray Pins

Diagram of a Gray Pin piece, with labels demonstrating that it has a section that is a Square Peg, a section that is a Round Peg, and then a Flange before another Square Peg section.

A Gray Pin has a square peg with a flange, then a round section, and a square peg.

Diagram of a Gray Pin being inserted through a Black Large Beam to connect a Red Gear to a Motor, while still allowing the Motor to spin the Red Gear.

The Gray Pin’s features allow it to be inserted into a Motor or a Knob which will force the pin to spin. The Gray Pin can pass through a round hole in a part and then into the square hole of another part.

For example, a Gray Pin’s square peg with a flange could be inserted into a Motor then through a Black Large Beam. On the other side of the Black Large Beam, a Red Gear could be inserted onto the square peg of the Gray Pin. This will allow the motor to spin the Red Gear.

Standoffs

Diagram of a Yellow Standoff piece, with labels demonstrating that it has a Round Peg on either side of a Spacing section that is as thick as one plastic part.

When building projects with the VEX GO system sometimes more space is needed between the parts. Standoffs are connectors which allow this to happen. Standoffs have a round peg on each end and a middle section which provides a spacing between parts.

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

There are three different sizes of standoffs. These include:

The Yellow Standoff has a spacing of one thickness of a plastic part.
The Blue Standoff has a spacing of two thicknesses of plastic parts.
The Orange Standoff has a spacing of four thicknesses of plastic parts.

Diagram of a VEX GO Robot Arm build with the Standoff pieces on the eye sensor attachment highlighted in a red circle.

Spacing between parts can be very important for your project. For example, you can use two Yellow Standoffs between a Yellow Angle Beam and a Yellow Connector. This will allow you to attach an Eye Sensor so it will be centered in the middle of your Robot Arm project.

Connectors

Diagram demonstrating the uses of Connectors to connect pieces in parrallel or at a 90-degree angle.

Connectors are very helpful parts. They allow you to connect two parts together. These connections can be at a 90-degree connection to one another or parallel to one another.

Diagram of a Yellow Connector piece, with labels demonstrating that it has two Round Pegs offset by 90-degrees from 5 Round Holes.

Connectors have round holes and pegs.

90-degree Connectors

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

90-degree Connectors come in three sizes. These include:

Red Connectors have one peg and one hole. This allows these connectors to be able to rotate.
Yellow Connectors have five holes and two pegs.
Blue Connectors have six holes and two pegs. Blue Connectors are one hole longer than Yellow Connectors.

Diagram of Yellow Connectors being used to attach a VEX GO build at a 90-degree angle to a square of Field Tiles.

Connecting parts together at 90 degrees is a very important feature for the VEX GO system. For example, two Yellow Connectors can be used to connect a Gray Large Beam at 90 degrees to a Tile to make a base for your Robot Arm project.

Parallel Connectors

Diagram of both of the Parallel Connector pieces in the VEX GO Kit.

Parallel Connectors come in two sizes. These include:

Green Connectors have two pegs on each side and two holes between the pegs.
Orange connectors have two pegs on each side and seven holes between the pegs.

Diagram of a VEX GO Super Car build with the Orange Connector that connects two Black Large Beams highlighted.

Parallel connectors can be very useful when building projects with the VEX GO system. For example, you can separate two parallel Black Large Beams with an Orange Connector when building your Super Car project.

Making connections between parts with the VEX GO system is fun and easy using pins, standoffs, and connectors. They will help you make the physical connection between parts to bring your imagination into reality.