Team 11 - Robot Reveal 2014

[Lil' Lavery]

Originally Posted by EricDrost

Here's a sneak peak of the tread pattern we're using.

What machining process did you use to cut those? Did you freeze the wheels first? What kind of performance gains have you seen from that? Did you try any other tread patterns?

[LaScooter]

Originally Posted by Link07

How much extra traction do you get from that as compared to normal colsons?

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

What machining process did you use to cut those? Did you freeze the wheels first? What kind of performance gains have you seen from that? Did you try any other tread patterns?

Link07 - We don't have exact numbers, but the traction was much higher than normal colsons. If you are planning on getting into pushing matches, I would recommend them.

Lil' Lavery - We simply took them to a band saw and put cuts in them. Much higher traction gained from simple 5 minutes of work. We are planning on trying out different patterns, but the current design should be significantly better than normal colsons.

[Jscout11]

Originally Posted by LaScooter

Link07 - We don't have exact numbers, but the traction was much higher than normal colsons. If you are planning on getting into pushing matches, I would recommend them.

We were able to push Beta around in practice a little bit at least

[EricDrost]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

What kind of performance gains have you seen from that? Did you try any other tread patterns?

Originally Posted by LaScooter

We are planning on trying out different patterns, but the current design should be significantly better than normal colsons.

Sean,

I intend to publish a quantitative analysis on wheel tread eventually. But for now we've found that comparatively: straight cut > diamond cut > uncut when it comes to simulated coefficient of friction in the forward direction.

Because the cut is perpendicular to the direction of motion, the forward component receives 100% of the vector's magnitude unlike the angled cuts in the diamond pattern.

The W set of VexPro wheels follow the same logic.

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by EricDrost

Because the cut is perpendicular to the direction of motion, the forward component receives 100% of the vector's magnitude unlike the angled cuts in the diamond pattern.

Eric, don't forget to consider the traction from when the tread material bends, when the cuts are sufficiently close to each other. A diamond pattern has more cuts and thus some thinner profiles. I can't say if it is significant or not, but rubber car tires use angled siping just so they can get thinner profiles compared to perpendicular siping.

[EricDrost]

Originally Posted by DonRotolo

Eric, don't forget to consider the traction from when the tread material bends, when the cuts are sufficiently close to each other. A diamond pattern has more cuts and thus some thinner profiles. I can't say if it is significant or not, but rubber car tires use angled siping just so they can get thinner profiles compared to perpendicular siping.

I absolutely agree that my explanation was an oversimplification. We intend to do MUCH more comprehensive testing. But with the data points we have so far, the straight cuts are the best performing wheels we've tried.

[Ryan Dognaux]

Great looking robot guys. Will surely be a contender in MAR this season!

[sportzkrazzy]

Loving the bot this year. Should be a top contender where ever it goes. Looks like the in-house powder coating payed off because she is gorgeous.