AM' swerve modules

[Bob Steele]

After doing our first swerve/crab drive this year.
The easiest part of this type of drive is the module.

The real difficulty is in the control of the modules.
Figuring out how to mount the proper type of encoder and using them to allow the operator to use the drive efficiently is the toughest part.

We will continue to refine both our module design and our control algorithms.

As far as AM making them... I am not sure if this is a good idea.
For purely business reasons.... I am not sure how many would really get sold.
They would also be pretty pricey...

The other issue is "leveling the playing field" ... I guess the question is where does it end? Should we all just be bolting together AM or other pieces and making a robot?

We learned a great deal this year by designing and implementing this type of drive. At Atlanta we saw several different versions... some were very simple and worked very well.

In the pit next to us we made new friends with team 1927 from Biloxi Mississippi... they had a really nice, simply made swerve module very similar to ours that they had come up with. Ours was more complex and required CNC work... there are many designs... all of them worked...

If anyone wants our design they are welcome to it. We will make it available to anyone that asks.

I do make the warning though... the control is the hard part.