pic: Another concept study

[Tom Ore]

Originally Posted by Garret

I love this design (and the detail in the model), but I cannot see how are you going to make the hollow round housing like that for the traction wheels? I am sure I am missing something but it looks like it is just machined from one solid block of aluminum.

Yeah - that one is a bit messy. I have it designed as a tube with end plates welded on and then machined.

[Greg Needel]

I would recommend changing the setup so that the pivot is on the traction wheel and not the mechanum. The reason is that you will see a large bending force on your pivot if you are in traction mode and you get pushed from the side. The distance from your traction wheel to the pivot will act as a moment arm and can reek havoc. Now you are using box tubing which has a great bending strength, but you are also using that same box tubing to house a gearbox, so even a slight bend can really foul up the works.

This is a lesson learned from experience on 148. Take a look at the differences in the drive train between 2010 and 2011.