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Unread 20-11-2006, 21:09
Jay TenBrink Jay TenBrink is offline
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FRC #0494 (Martians)
Team Role: Engineer
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Rookie Year: 2001
Location: Goodrich,MI
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Re: What type of drive train is the most maneuverable?

Our 2006 Martian robots were initially designed and built with the same knobby pneumatic skid steer drive train layout we had in 2003,4, and 5. This proved to be too unstable during turning because of the robots’ higher center of gravity. The diagonally placed omni wheels were installed very late in the build. Omni wheels are fine for maneuverability, but not good for resisting a lateral push.

If we had it to do over again, we would have had a drive train very similar to what 469 did this year (and what we did in 2001 on our first Martian robot). Las Gorillas had a skid steer with a set of deployable ball casters on the front right and left to lift the front of the robot off of the ground for maneuverability. When the casters were retracted, all four knobby pneumatic tires were on the ground for impressive pushing power and sideways stability against an aggressor.