View Single Post
  #6   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 24-05-2011, 03:49
craigboez's Avatar
craigboez craigboez is offline
Mechanical Engineer
AKA: Craig Boezwinkle
FRC #2811 (StormBots)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Rookie Year: 2009
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 217
craigboez is just really nicecraigboez is just really nicecraigboez is just really nicecraigboez is just really nicecraigboez is just really nice
Re: 4" Heavy Duty Mecanum Wheels

Quote:
If you have a way of indexing around you could put a slot in the main base and put the roller mounting tabs on that.
I considered this, but didn't like the idea of having a separate hub and fins for a few reasons. Strength and additional fastener weight were two, but primarily it was because the "holes" in the hub would actually be slots because of the endmill geometry, and I didn't want to put a rectangular fin into a rounded-end slot.

With a few well designed fixtures the "hub with spokes" should be machinable on a 3 axis machine, all from one piece of aluminum. I think. CAM analysis hasn't begun yet.

I'm actually considering machining one and using it as a master to create a mold from. Depending on how strong that urethane is, especially if fiber reinforced, it might just be strong enough.