New Track Option

[Jon Stratis]

Originally Posted by TankChain

The problem with a press fit version is you lock your design to one size loop. So you would have to either order custom made loop which we would manufacture, or design your robot around a standard size which we picked. I was never a fan of your robot being designed around one part. The track should not limit your design but give you options.

Another benefit of a modular design is the ability to replace parts on the fly. If any part of the track gets damaged, you can swap out only the damage parts in a matter of minutes. If anyone is seriously interested in a press fit version, or a welded version send us a message and we can work up a quote. It would not be too difficult to have the plates tig welded to the pins. We could work up a cost for that.

As for the cost, it is $40 for 12 inches, not 6 inches. So you actually get twice as much as you thought. How is that for a deal. haha

Josh

The other option is to provide it like chain is provided - you give us certain fixed-length segments, and have a way built in to use a chain breaker to shorten them. Then rely on a single master link to join it together into a closed loop.

The price, as quoted, really isn't that bad. A typical FRC robot these days is ~2.5 feet long. Putting treads on them means you need about 10 feet of tread, or $400 worth. Yeah, it's a bit more expensive than a standard 6-wheel drive train, but so are other options (Like AndyMark's Rhino Track Drive Module, which is $738 for a standard robot, but it is more than just track).

My bigger concern would be how it turns on normal FRC carpet (for this year, Shaw Floors, Philadelphia Commercial, Neyland II 20, 30352, “Scotch Pine”). I'd love to see a "typical" robot (30"x30" square, weighted to a total of 150 lbs) setup with this for its drive train, and driven around on FRC carpet. I've seen plenty of robots with tank treads have trouble turning during competition before!