Questions about crab/swerve drive.

[BenX02]

Hey, our team is wanting to have crab drive next year, so I have been coming up with designs. I have a few questions.

1) The design I came up with has six CIMs, one for each wheel module, and one for each side to turn the modules. My only concern with this design is that it will be heavy. Can someone show me some designs or CADs (or just explain your design) for your designs. Don't worry, I won't rip them off, I just want to get insperation.

2) This is going to sound like a dumb question, but I have heard that a water jet/computerized mill is necessary for building a crab drive system, may I ask why? The machine shop our team meets at has one, but in the past they have not let us use it.

3) As a driver, I have been wondering about the different ways you can drive a crab/swerve. I have seen teams do a tank style with two joy sticks, where it acts like tank drive but if you move the sticks sideways your robot moves sideways ect. I have also seen with one stick and a throttle, and a stick with a Z axis. But which would you say is the best?

4) I know you need lots of sensors, but what kind and where might I get them?
Thanks in advance.