pic: My First WCD

[Stephi Rae]

I'll try to answer most of your questions here.

I apologize I got the terminology a little mixed up.

Dave is correct, this is not a sheet metal drive, it is 1/8" 3x1 C channel. It is a little difficult to see in the picture, I apologize. If I have some time later, maybe I'll render a few other perspectives and post them.

It is all C channel. The idea I took was to make things easy to manufacture and easy to get to. All four side rails are completely identical. Front and back are identical as well.


Everything except the outermost side rails would be welded together, and the outermost rails are bolted on via standoffs and brackets at the ends/corners. This would make the outer rails easy to take off and maintain the drive, if necessary. If weight became a concern, these would be replaced with polycarb, as many teams have done previously.

The outer rail channel has cutouts around each of the wheels.

Inventor says the frame is around 10 lbs. Like I mentioned before, there are things that could easily be changed if weight became a concern.

As far as the trussing and cutouts go, there is at least 1/4" material between every cutout, often more.

The wheels are 50 durometer Banebots wheels with the unfinished hubs. There are custom hubs that interface with the wheels after they have been modified to have a larger hole. Outer wheels are dead axle, center are keyed.

There are vertical slots in the side rails that hold a chain tensioner.

I'm not really sure what you're asking 548swimmer, but the wheels are all inline with each other and the center wheel is exactly in the center of the robot.

If I missed a question, or if you have more, feel free to bring it up again, or ask.