pic: MOEnarch Swerve Drive

[Adrian Clark]

Originally Posted by nathannfm

I am not sure if you can tell but the encoder is also on a slot so we can adjust it along with the CIM and make it just kiss the belt so there is almost no side loading. If the belt skips im pretty sure we are just gonna go to chain, we had enough headaches dealing with skipping belts this year

We did consider a bracket like you describe but it was just another part to manufacture and would also put the encoder in a more vulnerable location. If there is some unforeseen mechanical problem with it's current location we may go this route.

I don't think your encoder position will yield good values because it isn't properly engaged with the belt. With the encoder pulley tangent to the belt I don't think the encoder will rotate in perfect relation to the belt. When you have a belt wrapped around a pulley, there is always at least one tooth that is fully engaged with the pulley. This ensures smooth movement. When a pulley is placed tangent to the belt you don't have a tooth constantly engaged with the pulley, because of this there will be some sliding action as the pulley rotates and your encoder values will not reflect the true motion of the belt. This effect is exaggerated when you decrees the size of the pulley.

This is all conjecture, but I highly recommend testing this type of encoder setup or it could come back and bite you.

-Adrian