Our Coder Dojo at Kingston University runs a fleet of 11 Raspberry Pi RP2040 robots — a design that evolved from my Robotics at Home with Raspberry Pi Pico book. After a recent session, one robot came back needing repair: a sheared standoff and some wiring attention. I figured I’d document the design while I had it apart.

The video covers the key design decisions:

• The Cytron MakerPi RP2040 — onboard motor drivers, a battery connector, and awesome labelling that kids can follow
• RWCL-1601 sensors instead of HC-SR04s: the HC-SR04 outputs 5V logic, which is a good way to kill an RP2040 GPIO pin
• FreeCAD-designed wiring shields (3D printed) so power cables are kept safe and snag free
• Custom sensor mounts — the RWCL-1601 has different dimensions from the HC-SR04
• M3 hardware throughout — one bolt size to hunt for when something needs tightening

STL files are on Google Drive if you want to print your own.