Drive systems

[pfreivald]

Originally Posted by Roboticsismylif

Hey everyone. This is our second year as a team. Right now our team is split on what we should use for a drive system. Most of the team, including me, want to go with tank treads. The others what to go with wheels. Right now we're going with a defensive robot. Anybody got any hints and suggestions?
Thanks.

If you haven't prototyped tank treads pre-season, I wouldn't recommend them now. Often times newer teams do not anticipate how much torque is required to turn when working with high-traction systems.

[Roboticsismylif]

We have protyped the tank treads we would be using, and they're basically built. It's just we have been hearing some bad things about treads. We also do have a shooter on our robot to throw balls to the other side and make shoots if we have to.

[PayneTrain]

I also want to encourage you to know your limits, then push a little bit higher. I recommend that depending on your wheelbase, you go for a mix and match of AndyMark Plaction Roughtops and Omniwheels. If you only build a launcher and a hopper that allows for station loading and cross-court shots, you're doing a service to your alliance, especially if you can also align.

I'm not saying you shouldn't go for a strictly defensive robot even if that's your team's decision, but it's important to remember to not hold yourself back.

[pfreivald]

Originally Posted by Roboticsismylif

We have protyped the tank treads we would be using, and they're basically built. It's just we have been hearing some bad things about treads. We also do have a shooter on our robot to throw balls to the other side and make shoots if we have to.

Make sure you test them on carpet. Floor =/= carpet, and turning is often a problem in high-traction drive trains.

[Kevin Ray]

We've done tank treads twice and they were awesome both times, but you have to have a lower pivot point in the middle of the track to aid in your turning. They also tend to be heavier overall than wheel systems--at least in our experience.
Finally, I agree...NEVER go into the build season planning to be a defensive bot. It's a recipe for failure. It's tantamount to playing basketball and only being defensive. Sooner or later the other guy(s) gonna score and you will be down points. You can almost always be a help by somehow getting balls to your allies so that they don't have to travel to the other side to get them. Be defensive only when everything else fails at the END of the build season--not in the beginning.

[Easton8]

From my experience treads are a real pain to use, and for a team that has never done them before I would definitely not recommend it. Building a basic 6WD from the kit of parts would be a lot simpler and save you a considerable amount of time and money. As for playing "defense" I would not recommend designing a robot for that, even if you think thats all you can build. To be an asset on the field you don't necessarily need an amazing robot that can score on the highest basket from half court every time. In fact a robot with just a decent shooter that stays on the other side of the field and feeds balls to other robots would almost as valuable an asset.

[Roboticsismylif]

We not actually using treads. We're planning on using a v-belt that has teeth on booth sides. We also are going with a rocker(spelling) bar like design. Kind of like a bulldozer. When we do turn the bot the treads turn in opposite directions. When this happens the rocker bar picks up the pulleys on the bottom ends leaving only the middle touching, reducing the amount of stress while turning.

[pfreivald]

Originally Posted by Roboticsismylif

We not actually using treads. We're planning on using a v-belt that has teeth on booth sides. We also are going with a rocker(spelling) bar like design. Kind of like a bulldozer. When we do turn the bot the treads turn in opposite directions. When this happens the rocker bar picks up the pulleys on the bottom ends leaving only the middle touching, reducing the amount of stress while turning.

That's pretty cool!