Question about Mecanum Wheels

[KingRandy]

Hello everyone, this year my team would like to use Mecanum wheels. This is our first time using them and we have a few questions regarding them...
1) Do we need gearboxes on each wheel or is a motor sufficient?
2) Do we need specific gearboxes?
3) Should we use 4 or 6 wheels or does that not matter?

Thank you for answering our questions, we really appreciate it!!!

[Phyrxes]

You will need to have some form of reduction from the drive motor to the wheel but how you choose to do that is up to you, a gear box is not necessarily required. Traditionally mecanum wheels are done with four and the closer the wheel arrangement is to a square with an even weight distribution the better the better the performance.

[jsasaki]

Originally Posted by KingRandy

Hello everyone, this year my team would like to use Mecanum wheels. This is our first time using them and we have a few questions regarding them...
1) Do we need gearboxes on each wheel or is a motor sufficient?
2) Do we need specific gearboxes?
3) Should we use 4 or 6 wheels or does that not matter?

Thank you for answering our questions, we really appreciate it!!!

1) for most of the motors legal in this years game, a gearbox would be necessary (probably should use 1 of the 6 cims allowed)
2) You could use any gearbox you want. The easiest would be an AndyMark or VexPro single speed Gearbox. Depending on whether you choose a Dead or Live axle setup, the items you would purchase to make the drive work would change.
3) 4 or 6 wheel Mecanum? A Mecanum Drive is generally 4 wheels working independently. You could technically put more wheels. Though it seems counter productive. Omni wheels might be okay to use as additional wheel (non powered) http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/34594


might want to check out or seach CD

[FrankJ]

I am not sure mecanums are the best for this year game. (We use mecanums the last 2 season so I am not just anti mecanum.)

Anyway we use the Andmark tough nanos which allowed the wheels to be directly mounted to the gearbox. Having it to do over we would have tried a higher gear ratio.

Probably a little late in the build season to try mecanum to the first time.

[Tytus Gerrish]

if your making this decision now in the middle of week 4 you're in troubble

[KingRandy]

Thank you for the responses guys. I know it is a little late but the parts are going to be here in a couple of days and the programmers are prepared to work with them.

[Phyrxes]

Sent you a PM, let me know if we can help.