Video of Mecanum Drive Running Circles Around 6 Wheel Drives

[thefro526]

Originally Posted by JesseK

Once TBA comes back up, look at 1086 & 384 at VCU in 2007. I'm not so sure about the "drives circles around" claim, but they were very quick and agile. The drivers performed with such tenacity that any errors were quickly resolved by trying again. They were in the 13-14fps (free speed) range.

384 also used their Mecanum to play effectively during 2008 at VCU and in Atlanta. 1086 had the same drive train (and made it to Champ. elims), but 384 made it to the division finals (only to be trumped by the 1114/217/148 power house).

Which reminds me: Tumbleweed DID run circles around standard 6WD skid. However, 148 focused so well on coaxial crab design that year, we shouldn't have expected anything less.

384 & 1086 (I believe there was also a 3rd twin) in 2007, and also 1086 in 2008 were by far some of the most well driven Mecanum Wheeled robots to ever seen an FRC competition. If any robots had a chance of out performing a 6WD they may have been able to do it, but my exact memory is a bit fuzzy and I don't know if they ever actually did, in fact, drive circles around a well driven skid steer.

Also, I believe everyone in this thread agrees that a well built Swerve, be it a Wildstang style, or a Coax has the capability to out drive a Skid Steer, and has been proven to do so. Perhaps one of the best examples of this, also from 2008 would've been Team 16. 148 did use their's quite effectively, but their small footprint also played into their ability to out drive other teams. If I remember correctly, the Team 16 Robot had a HUGE foot print (Something like 38" x 60") and still managed to out maneuverer darn near anything that got in it's way.