Coolest Drive Train

[RogerR]

Originally Posted by ahecht

I seem to remember that there was a vehicle using this kind of drive system that was the first to do something over ice and icy water (I don't remember what it did, but it was something like travelling from Alaska to Scandinavia via the north pole)

you might be thinking of the chrysler marsh screw amphibian

[Adam Y.]

I seem to remember that there was a vehicle using this kind of drive system that was the first to do something over ice and icy water (I don't remember what it did, but it was something like travelling from Alaska to Scandinavia via the north pole)

Your right. I do believe it crossed the Bearing Straight. It's called the archimedes screw. Rather quite simple concept since it acts just like a giant propeller.

Whether screw drive would scale well to a 130 lb. robot would have to be seen on the field.

It probably wouldn't work at all on carpet. The only three materials that this would even remotely work on is water, sand, and snow.

[ahecht]

Originally Posted by Adam Y.

Your right. I do believe it crossed the Bearing Straight. It's called the archimedes screw. Rather quite simple concept since it acts just like a giant propeller.

Ahh, got it. I was thinking of the IceChallenger Expedition's Snowbird 6, which made the first overland trip from the USA to Russia since prehistoric times. You can visit the official website at http://www.icechallenger.com/

[Matt Attallah]

Inorder for that to work you have to dig into the ground. First off the carpet we use id pretty stiff - and you won't sink in much - and 2nd is when you get in a pushing match - can it push? That is totaly apart of the game and o honestly don't see this drivetrain even being any help to the FIRST playing field...(unless it's done on dirt/water/etc...)

[jimfortytwo]

You could run rollers along the threading-- omni-wheelish like.

[Jones571]

Another problem i see is with these drves are always set wider then the body. that will really eat up alot of your 30''X36'' footprint causeing some serious space problems. and makeing those HDPE would be possible at only with a 2'' round bad only costing 7.43 a foot .

[Adam Y.]

Another problem i see is with these drves are always set wider then the body. that will really eat up alot of your 30''X36'' footprint causeing some serious space problems. and makeing those HDPE would be possible at only with a 2'' round bad only costing 7.43 a foot .

Not true. I have seen the these set right underneath the base. If anyone wants to build one you have to make sure the potoons are opposite threads. One has to be left thread and the other right thread.

[Jones571]

Originally Posted by Adam Y.

Not true. I have seen the these set right underneath the base. If anyone wants to build one you have to make sure the potoons are opposite threads. One has to be left thread and the other right thread.

can you find some pictures were they are like that? all the ones i have seen are slanted out past the body

[greencactus3]

sure these will be cool, but on carpet? i dont think they'll be too practical. and just as tytus says, mecanum will work, but whats the point then..? just make a basic skidsteer tread and itll be much more compact and reasonable.

[Justin Stiltner]

I had thought of this same drive train before, the only major issue I had was how to do a speedy turn, you could lock one side up and power the other, but you cannot apply foward to one, and reverse to the other, you would slip sideways. But if you did make theise with deep threads around .5 and pretty thin like 1/8" I think you would get enough penetration into the carpet to get some nice traction. hrmmm... (starts stareing at his box of old printer parts and wondering.)