Coolest Drive Train

[team222badbrad]

I recently saw this in Target.

I have seen an actual robot that had this type of drive train before but I could not find a picture.

It would not be for FIRST though as the carpet would not like it. (change in terrain next year?). FIRST also would not allow the screws to be made out of metal.

What do you think?

Description of the Terrain Twister:

Conquers almost any surface: grass, sand, pavement, water and even snow can't stop Terrain Twister

Special corkscrew design allows it to churn straight through even the toughest terrains while also allowing it to glide quickly sideways across most surfaces

It is water tight for aquatic driving

Transmitter has been designed for easy maneuvering in all directions

[RogerR]

i remember seeing them do this on junkyard wars and thinking the same thing. i wonder if you used HDPE or some other low friction material (non metal) if it would be legal. i've seen them used to make skids/sliders, why not here? or maybe some sort of hard rubber?

[Jeff_Rice]

The military experimented with an almost identical design. It worked very well, but it was prone to breakdowns and the concept was discarded. I imagine that FIRST teams would have similar problems.

[Tytus Gerrish]

Cough! Mecanum Cough!

[Billfred]

Why, that idea is positively screwy!

(sorry, couldn't resist the pun)

That is an interesting way to do it. I'd imagine that it works well for a 2-3 lb. R/C car, although I understand the military not being able to make it happen for a full-sized vehicle. Some stuff doesn't scale well.

Whether screw drive would scale well to a 130 lb. robot would have to be seen on the field.

[ahecht]

I seem to remember that there was a vehicle using this kind of drive system that was the first to do something over ice and icy water (I don't remember what it did, but it was something like travelling from Alaska to Scandinavia via the north pole)

[RogerR]

Originally Posted by ahecht

I seem to remember that there was a vehicle using this kind of drive system that was the first to do something over ice and icy water (I don't remember what it did, but it was something like travelling from Alaska to Scandinavia via the north pole)

you might be thinking of the chrysler marsh screw amphibian

[Adam Y.]

I seem to remember that there was a vehicle using this kind of drive system that was the first to do something over ice and icy water (I don't remember what it did, but it was something like travelling from Alaska to Scandinavia via the north pole)

Your right. I do believe it crossed the Bearing Straight. It's called the archimedes screw. Rather quite simple concept since it acts just like a giant propeller.

Whether screw drive would scale well to a 130 lb. robot would have to be seen on the field.

It probably wouldn't work at all on carpet. The only three materials that this would even remotely work on is water, sand, and snow.

[ahecht]

Originally Posted by Adam Y.

Your right. I do believe it crossed the Bearing Straight. It's called the archimedes screw. Rather quite simple concept since it acts just like a giant propeller.

Ahh, got it. I was thinking of the IceChallenger Expedition's Snowbird 6, which made the first overland trip from the USA to Russia since prehistoric times. You can visit the official website at http://www.icechallenger.com/

[Matt Attallah]

Inorder for that to work you have to dig into the ground. First off the carpet we use id pretty stiff - and you won't sink in much - and 2nd is when you get in a pushing match - can it push? That is totaly apart of the game and o honestly don't see this drivetrain even being any help to the FIRST playing field...(unless it's done on dirt/water/etc...)

[jimfortytwo]

You could run rollers along the threading-- omni-wheelish like.

[Jones571]

Another problem i see is with these drves are always set wider then the body. that will really eat up alot of your 30''X36'' footprint causeing some serious space problems. and makeing those HDPE would be possible at only with a 2'' round bad only costing 7.43 a foot .

[Adam Y.]

Another problem i see is with these drves are always set wider then the body. that will really eat up alot of your 30''X36'' footprint causeing some serious space problems. and makeing those HDPE would be possible at only with a 2'' round bad only costing 7.43 a foot .

Not true. I have seen the these set right underneath the base. If anyone wants to build one you have to make sure the potoons are opposite threads. One has to be left thread and the other right thread.

[Jones571]

Originally Posted by Adam Y.

Not true. I have seen the these set right underneath the base. If anyone wants to build one you have to make sure the potoons are opposite threads. One has to be left thread and the other right thread.

can you find some pictures were they are like that? all the ones i have seen are slanted out past the body

[greencactus3]

sure these will be cool, but on carpet? i dont think they'll be too practical. and just as tytus says, mecanum will work, but whats the point then..? just make a basic skidsteer tread and itll be much more compact and reasonable.