Unleashing Your Inner Engineer: Creative Alternative Builds for LEGO® 51515-1 Robot Inventor

 

The LEGO® 51515-1 Robot Inventor set is much more than a beginner’s introduction to coding and robotics—it’s a treasure trove of possibilities for tinkerers and builders eager to push the boundaries of invention. Armed with 949 Technic elements, four “smart” motors and sensors, and the intuitive LEGO® Mindstorms® coding environment, this set invites you to go beyond the four classic models in the official instructions. Whether you dream of cracking Rubik’s Cubes with a precision-built cube solver, launching candy canes like festive projectiles, or designing your own F1 race car that navigates curves with gyroscopic finesse, the only limit is your imagination.

These community-designed MOCs (My Own Creations) demonstrate how the Robot Inventor’s parts can be re-configured into astonishing new forms. From balancing wheelchairs that defy tipping to wall-drawing plotters that translate your sketches into full-scale art, each alternative build highlights a different facet of engineering creativity. Experimenting with these designs not only sharpens your mechanical skills and coding logic but also encourages problem-solving through rapid prototyping: swap motors, rewire sensors, and iterate on gear ratios until your creation performs flawlessly.

Whether you’re a seasoned roboticist or a curious newcomer, diving into these MOCs will ignite fresh ideas for your next build. In the sections below, explore a curated gallery of standout alternative models—each image links to its detailed instructions, so you can jump straight into building and programming your own custom Robot Inventor masterpiece.

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Alternative Builds Gallery

Cube Inventor – Mindstorm 51515 Cube Solver

Designer: Bundy
Get the instructions: Link

Candy Cane Catapult

Designer: JKBrickworks
Get the instructions: Link

F1 Race Car – Mindstorms Robot Inventor

Designer: gubsters
Get the instructions: Link

Wallplotter

Designer: mschulte
Get the instructions: Link

Gyro Inventor

Designer: azya
Get the instructions: Link

Rocket Launcher

Designer: JKBrickworks
Get the instructions: Link

Robot Arm

Designer: JKBrickworks
Get the instructions: Link

Egg-Inventor – Multi-color Egg Decorating Bot

Designer: Bundy
Get the instructions: Link

Tilt Wheeled Vehicle (C-Model)

Designer: jemunoz0
Get the instructions: Link

Lollipop Launcher

Designer: JKBrickworks
Get the instructions: Link

PINGERBEE! – More Than Just Ping Pong

Designer: Bingobricks
Get the instructions: Link

Mindstorms RC Forklift Truck

Designer: Phil83
Get the instructions: Link

Ball-Inventor – Marble Run

Designer: Bundy
Get the instructions: Link

Inventor Writer

Designer: Bundy
Get the instructions: Link

Autonomous F1 Racer

Designer: rusvdw
Get the instructions: Link

Blast Biped Upgrade

Designer: gubsters
Get the instructions: Link

Creamy Caramel Catapult

Designer: JKBrickworks
Get the instructions: Link

Robot Inventor Arm (Danzhilan)

Designer: danzhilan
Get the instructions: Link

BopIt-Inventor – Reaction Game

Designer: Bundy
Get the instructions: Link

Two-Wheeled Vehicle (C-Model)

Designer: jemunoz0
Get the instructions: Link

Windmill from 51515

Designer: Worm65
Get the instructions: Link

Balance Inventor – Balancing Wheelchair

Designer: Bundy
Get the instructions: Link

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With this gallery of alternative builds, you have a roadmap to explore robotics, mechanics, and coding in entirely new ways. Pick your favorite, gather your 51515-1 parts, and start building—then share your own mods with the community to inspire the next generation of creators!

 

Click here for more alternative builds and Modifications for this Lego set