I am considering presenting the idea of switching our T-shirt launcher over to mecanum to Team 957. Before doing so, I would like to have a definite list of pros and cons (as we have never done mecanum before).
While there are many threads discussing mecanums in the context of competition, I have a few concerns specific to this robot that I have not found adequate information on.
Here are my primary concerns:
1) Wear. We will be running this bot a lot, often on asphalt and other abrasive surfaces. We'd rather not have to periodically replace wheels (even once a year would be too much), although, if necessary, we might be willing to switch out the rollers (if they can be made/obtained cheaply) every year or so.
2) Resistance to dirt. We do not always run the robot inside, and it is not uncommon to have it running right on dirt (or being pushed over the dirt). I'm afraid that the dirt may gum up the bearings.
3) They must not damage gym floors. We often run our robots on gym floors -- the kitbot wheels work fine for this, but other types damage the flooring. This is likely to be a smaller issue than the others (as mecanums don't typically skid very much), but it's still a consideration.
EDIT: Let's remove this from the topic of this conversation, as mentioned in
post #3 -- we'll do our own testing to verify that a specific roller material does not damage the floors prior to ordering a set of wheels.
In terms of machining (for creating replacement rollers if it's necessary), our team isn't very capable. We have neither a lathe nor a mill, and have no experience with casting parts. However, we have a sponsor with a high level of machining capability who would be able to machine roller casts for us, as long as it is a one-time deal.
How valid are each of these concerns (particularly 1 & 2)? Do you have a recommendation for a particular style of mecanum (with respect to these concerns)?
Please don't discuss mecanum vs. tank-style drivetrains -- let's keep this thread centered on the practicality and implementation of mecanum on a robot with the usage scenarios outlined above.
Thank you.