pic: "Omni Grenade" Wheel

[D.Fahringer]

loading photo ...

[Tytus Gerrish]

sweet, kinda looks like mecanum wheel rolers

[Max Lobovsky]

Jesus, that's beautiful. I wish we had the time and resources to undertake a project like that. Are you planning on using them in a holonomic design for the coming season?

[Hinkel Y.]

Looks awesome! Guess you guys made it using a CNC machine. What materials did you use for those wheels? Have you tested them out yet? If so, how's the traction on them?

[edit] Ooops didn't read the captions on the other pictures for material and how it's made*slams head on desk* [/edit]

[Arefin Bari]

Originally Posted by Hinkel Y.

Looks awesome! Guess you guys made it using a CNC machine. What materials did you use for those wheels? Have you tested them out yet? If so, how's the traction on them?

To answer your questions...

What Machine did they use for this project?

"Sam Elzarian, a Nw Horizons Governors School mentorship student with prototype omni wheel. He and I designed and produced this with the help of a few other NASA Langley technicians. The project involved rapid prototyping techniques, CAD, solid modeling, waterjet, stereo lithography, mold making, and a conventional mill and lathe."

What Materials did they use for this wheel?

"The rollers are soft urethane with a brass sleeve cast-in to serve as a bearing. The rollers can be made in ten minutes flat! The mold has a flexable rubber liner with the tread pattern on it's inside surface, this is peeled off the roller when the roller is solid. The wheel is strong, probably stronger than it needs to be. The frame is waterjetted 1/2 inch thick aluminum."

...And this is how it is put together

"The "half grenade" configuration allows the rollers to be very close to one another. Also helping this is that the roller mounts extend into the roller to lengthen the roller. Button head bolts were intended but not available. A keyway is currently the drive method to be used, although it would be easy to add sprocket mounting hole areas on the frame.
Sam was responsible for all machining and CAD for the waterjetting of the frame and all fixtures."

Originally Posted by Max lobovsky

Are you planning on using them in a holonomic design for the coming season?

Posted by Dave... "Not a Team 122 project"

I would guess no.

To Dave and Sam, You guys did a Great job getting this project done.

[Rich Wong]

WOW........ it's the BOMB!

(finally I got to said that.... hehe)

That is a WHOLE NEW level of FIRST engineering and innovation. Congrats!!

Question: Is there an advantage in rolling clockwise vs. counter clockwise?

[Kyle Love]

I hope that thing isn't loaded!!!! ha That thing looks great!

[D.Fahringer]

Originally Posted by Rich Wong

WOW........ it's the BOMB!

(finally I got to said that.... hehe)

That is a WHOLE NEW level of FIRST engineering and innovation. Congrats!!

Question: Is there an advantage in rolling clockwise vs. counter clockwise?

Quote:
Question: Is there an advantage in rolling clockwise vs. counter clockwise?

Yes, I think the wheel would climb up 2X4's and steps better with the roller big end leading...that is viewed from the side, looking at the roller in contact with the ground, the big end of the roller is to the left when the wheel is turning clockwise. That side is so beefy you couldn't hurt it!

It is amazing to me how much less work this would be to make than our previous omni wheels from 2001 to 2002. Those wheels were student machined except for the rollers and axles. This wheel could be totally machined, except for the waterjet work, by students and the rollers cast
using the mold, add some off the shelf bolts...done!


Quote:

"look kind of like mecanum wheels":

Aren't Mecanum omni wheels the ones with angled axles? Ours are inline with the wheel. Those Mecanum type omnis are cool too!

We can provide all details on this design if desired,

Thanks to all!!!

Dave Fahringer

[Arefin Bari]

Here is a good picture of some mecanum wheels...

[JVN]

Hmmm...
Everything I've heard makes me think these wheels are being mass produced.

Umm.. "Not a Team 122 project"
Interesting...

Dare I speculate? Will you be selling these?

-JV

[Max Lobovsky]

I was wondering that, too. If the price is right, there is at least one team that is in the market.

[Tytus Gerrish]

i ment those rolers look strikingly similiar to my mecanum wheel rolers shown attached,

Ps: this is also not a team 179 project this wheel's OD is 2" it's for my oun project

[D.Fahringer]

Originally Posted by Max Lobovsky

I was wondering that, too. If the price is right, there is at least one team that is in the market.

John and Matt,


Ha Ha! Thats a good one! I would love to get the procedure out to make it possible, I don't know if it is possible to have NASA recieve Fabrication hours to produce the rollers and frames for FIRST teams use...as a kit or finished....

I could (I think) release the solid models of the mold, and the DXF files for the waterjetted frame...and instructions, then any team could make the mold for the rollers and get the frames made, I am not sure if I could.

Sam is making a Powerpoint of this project for the first of three presentations for his NASA mentorship. There is no shortage of pics documenting the construction of the Omni Grenade!

If left to me to decide...I would share it freely. I can find out about this subject and anyone with prior experience can respond with advice.



Dave

[Max Lobovsky]

I know nothing about molding polyurethane. Can you give me some idea of whats involved in making the mold and molding the rollers? Are there companies that will do small runs of molded parts like these? Do any teams have the proper materials.

If I can figure out how to get a hold of some of these rollers, I'm pretty sure we can get some waterjetting services donated to us and this may be possible for my team.

[D.Fahringer]

Originally Posted by Max Lobovsky

I know nothing about molding polyurethane. Can you give me some idea of whats involved in making the mold and molding the rollers? Are there companies that will do small runs of molded parts like these? Do any teams have the proper materials.

If I can figure out how to get a hold of some of these rollers, I'm pretty sure we can get some waterjetting services donated to us and this may be possible for my team.

The casting is easy but you have to have the mold treated with a spray on release agent (like pam for plastic) every run so nothing sticks, you mix the resin and hardener in a dixie cup and pour it in the mold to the top of the brass sleeve then stop and pour the remainder into the syringe then after your helper has placed the top of the mold on place the syringe into one of the 2 holes on the top of the mold then squirt the urethane into the mold and the excess will pop out of the other hole....hold the mold still until it solidifies.
The rollers you see were made of urethane that had a VERY fast cure time...about 2.5 minutes! you would want to use a resin that is slower like 15 minutes. Do you want to see the mold?


DF