pic: "Omni Grenade" Wheel

[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.