About Us | Superior Roboworks

Team 857 Superior Roboworks is a team that participates in the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC). We are the first and oldest FRC team in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We are based out of Houghton High School, but accept students from anywhere in the Copper County Intermediate School District (CCISD).

We are the successor of Team 221 MI Roboworks. Our robots are named after the late Francois Castaing.

2024

Name: Francois XXIV

Game: Crescendo

Status: Intact, operational

Reveal Video

This robot could score Notes in the Amp and the Speaker, and could climb on the chain. Design was inspired by the Unqualified Quokkas Ri3D design with an under the bumper intake. Finished as #3 seed and winner at Escanaba, and #3 seed and finalist at Lake Superior State University. Earned us our fourth blue banner (and third consecutive win at Escanaba), and a trip to the Michigan State Championship.

2023

Name: Francois XXIII

Game: Charged Up

Status: Intact, operational

Reveal Video

This robot could score Cones and Cubes on all levels of the Grid with an Everybot-style roller intake and an inclined elevator, and could drive onto the Charge Station balance obstacle. Our first real swerve drivetrain, the robot was very maneuverable and could score up to 10 game pieces. Finished as #1 seed and winner at Escanaba, and #2 seed and finalist at Lake Superior State University. Earned us our third blue banner and trips to the Michigan State Championship and the Championship in Houston. At MSC we were first pick of the #7 alliance and were eliminated in the 4th place match. At Championship we were last pick of the #2 alliance in the Newton division.

2022

Name: Francois XXII

Game: Rapid React

Status: Partially intact (climber removed)

This robot could score Cargo balls in the Lower Hub and Upper Hub with a two flywheel shooter. It could climb to the Traversal Rung of the Hangar using telescoping hooks and stationary ratchet hooks. Finished as #1 seed and winner at Escanaba, earning our second blue banner and trips to the Michigan State Championship and the Championship in Houston. At MSC we reached semifinals as last pick of the #3 alliance.

2020-21

Name: Francois XXI

Game: Infinite Recharge

Status: Intact, operational

This robot could score Power Cells in the Outer Port and Inner Port with a static hood flywheel shooter. It could climb onto the Generator Switch and had a wheel to move along the bar to balance the Switch. Finished as #3 seed and captain of winning #3 alliance at Kingsford, our first event win and first blue banner. Season unfortunately cut short by COVID-19 pandemic.

The robot was reused in the 2021 Infinite Recharge at Home challenges, finishing #8 in the Hydrogen group.

2019

Name: Francois XX

Game: Destination: Deep Space

Status: Programming test chassis

This robot could score Hatch Panels on the Cargo Ship and first and second levels of the Rocket using Velcro and pneumatic poppers. It could climb to Level 2 of the HAB using pneumatically actuated legs.

2018

Name: Francois XIX

Game: FIRST POWER UP

Reveal Video; Ramp Video 1; Ramp Video 2

This robot had an articulating intake with compliant wheels to grab the Power Cubes from the floor, a two-stage elevator to lift them to the Scale, and a pair of ramps (“wings”) which other robots could drive up and then be jacked up to earn the climb points. Earned trips to the Michigan State Championship and the Championship in Detroit.

2017

Name: Francois XVIII

Game: FIRST STEAMWORKS

Climber Video

This robot had a large sloped ramp to receive Gears from the loading station, an active gear release mechanism to put gears on the peg, and a gear floor pickup that used a brush to stab the center of the Gear. It used a winch drum with bolts to grab the rope knot and used a pair of ratcheting wrenches to keep from slipping down. Earned a trip to the Michigan State Championship.

2016

Name: Francois XVII

Game: FIRST Stronghold

Status: Turned into a parade robot, operational

Using its tank tracks, this robot could cross the Low Bar, Category A and D defenses, the Moat, and could open the Category C defenses for other robots. Could also score boulders into the low goal, and possibly into the high goal.

2015

Name: Francois XVI

Game: Recycle Rush

This robot could build one capped and noodled six-stack from the human player station, score co-op on the step, and cap other stacks. Finished as finalist as Escanaba, and earned trips to MSC and the Championship in St. Louis. We were the #6 alliance captain in the Archimedes sub-division.

2014

Name: Francois XV

Game: Aerial Assist

Status: Intact, operational

Reveal Video

This robot could score truss shots, high goals, and low goals, with a reliable 1-ball high goal autonomous routine. Finished as #1 seed and finalist as Traverse City, and earned a trip to the Michigan State Championship and our first qualification for the Championship in St. Louis.

2013

Name: Francois XIV

Game: Ultimate Ascent

Status: Partially intact (climber removed), operational

This robot could score two-point goals with a high success rate and climb one level of the pyramid for ten points. Earned us our first trip to the Michigan State Championship.