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Unread 08-01-2006, 21:32
Theory6RobotiX's Avatar
Theory6RobotiX Theory6RobotiX is offline
Pi is exactly 3!!! Joking...
FRC #1241 (Theory6)
Team Role: Mechanical
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Rookie Year: 2003
Location: Mississauga
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Re: omni drive vs tank

Quote:
I'll bite. This year's game will not be friendly to omni wheel drives (unless you can shoot extremely accurately on the fly.
Omni wheel drives, when not being useful while climbing the ramp, will probably prove to be extremely valuable when a team is positioning itself to shoot the balls into the corner goal. Lets say you have positioned your robot in front of the goal to shoot and you find yourself a little too far left. Without Omni wheels its given that u will turn right, go forward a little and turn left again to face the goal. Precious time lost...which wont be if you use an omni drive system.

My team has used a four wheel drive system with doubled up wheels wrapped in tread(from McMaster Carr) and two pneumatically activated castor wheels. If all four wheels are on the floor the robot has a LOT of traction and works well as a defensive robot. If the castors are actuated and pushes the front wheels up, it gives it the manuevarability required in the FIRST games. We have found this to work quite well.

On the topic on tank drives, it is a very hard thing to perfectly execute. Tank drives require a lot of work and the result is not very much advantageous over a normal four wheel drive system.

These are just my thoughts. The game dynamics on the field will also have a great say on the reliability and advantages of each of these different systems.

Good Luck