pic: SERGE: Shirt-Ejecting Robot for General Entertainment

[s_forbes]

Originally Posted by NWChen

(...)

We will definitely need to reinforce how those rails are braced together. The frontmost rail is support entirely by two swerve modules and the 1/4" ABS bellypan, but since we also expect it to take the brunt of impacts from terrain, we'll be adding additional gussets to strengthen that structure.

In addition to the corner bracing, you'll likely need to make some of the parts of the swerve module more rigid. Wood is a fantastic building material, but it doesn't work well with the usual plate/standoff method for building gearboxes (especially ones that involve large forces). Sheets of plywood are bendy, and things flex a lot! If you use the wood in a way that forms boxes, you will end up with more rigid parts.

The Bit Buckets have been playing with plywood a lot over the last few years and that seems to be the big rule of thumb: build boxes. Here's their rendition of a wooden swerve module, though it hasn't been implemented yet.

Do you guys have free access to a laser cutter that you can spend time on? If so, just cut some parts, test, redesign, cut, test.... Laser cutters and plywood make for fast cheap parts, so they're great for making lots of design iterations. I love them!