[Qbranch]

Personally, if i'm trying to make a nearly perfect gear reduction, I start out by making a rough mathematical model of the frictions that must be overcome by the robot, in other words, how much braking torque the robot has when its just moving along flat ground. Then, from this torque, I can figure what the top RPM of the motor will be about 12VDC.

If you don't want to make a mathematical model (it doesn't take long to make a rough one so i suggest you do) then you can just work your reductions out to hit normal load.

Now, this is all welll and good if your robot is going ONLY for top speed. If the pushing power of your robot at 40A (the power available through a victor for a limited but decent duty cycle) isn't enough for you, then you'll have to reach a compromise, change your requirements of your drivetrain, or use a multi-gear or continuously variable transmission.

I've attached the spec sheet for the 2.5" CIM motor. A few parting notes: Remember that when designing a transmission you can have more than one motor, so divide or multiply your torques accordingly. Also, a good figure to remember: A 2.5" CIM motor provides about 101.1oz-in torque @ 1564RPM when battery voltage is 12VDC and current is 40A (480Wi).

Questions? Comments? Post!

-q