Thread: Are six wheels better than four?
View Single Post
  #33   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 07-01-2009, 22:41
DonRotolo's Avatar
DonRotolo DonRotolo is offline
Back to humble
FRC #0832
Team Role: Mentor
  
Join Date: Jan 2005
Rookie Year: 2005
Location: Atlanta GA
Posts: 7,025
DonRotolo has a reputation beyond reputeDonRotolo has a reputation beyond reputeDonRotolo has a reputation beyond reputeDonRotolo has a reputation beyond reputeDonRotolo has a reputation beyond reputeDonRotolo has a reputation beyond reputeDonRotolo has a reputation beyond reputeDonRotolo has a reputation beyond reputeDonRotolo has a reputation beyond reputeDonRotolo has a reputation beyond reputeDonRotolo has a reputation beyond repute
Re: Are six wheels better than four?
To answer the original question: Theory states that any number of wheels will be exactly the same. The reason is that each wheel takes a portion of the weight, that portion gets smaller as the number of wheels increases.

Reality is not quite so clean. More wheels give you a very, very slight advantage, possibly so small as to be difficult to measure by a FIRST team. The reasons for the advantage mostly relate to your ability to maintain more of your grip even if one wheel hits a defect in the surface that momentarily reduces friction (think dust bunny), but also include some effects related to reduced deformation of the surfaces involved.

That being said, I really do not believe that anyone will measure a difference between 4 and 6 wheels that can justify the extra 2 wheels.

Six wheels have other advantages, however, that may convince some teams to use such a drivetrain.

One thing is clear - no wheel needs 2 CIM motors driving it...

Don
__________________

I am N2IRZ - What's your callsign?
Reply With Quote