pic: Swerve! (Module)

[Greg Needel]

Originally Posted by Nuttyman54

I think the third gear isn't so much for the reversal as it is for the distance. Looking at the distance between the two sprockets, you'd need the third gear as an idler just to make it reach.

The reason i said no chain was not about breaking it was about miss alignment and the side loads that these modules might take. As far as gears go, an easy way to do this would just to make the top (smaller gear) larger, which would decrease the ratio and then change the ratio from the kit gearbox to each crab module. You can most likely match the ratios exactly with minimal effort.

Encoders, yes measuring them directly on the wheel is optimal but you will still have some backlash issues. But in actuality you can put your encoder anywhere in your drive system and just use a simple function in your software to adjust for actual wheel speed.

As for connecting the top I wasn't really worried about the alignment of the miter gears (as others have said spacers would be fine) I was just looking at the serviceability factor, especially if you decide to still use chain.

[=Martin=Taylor=]

Thanks for the feedback.

One more question for you:

The vertical shaft is welded to the top plate. The top plate is 1/2" thick. Is this excessive? Would 1/4" plate work just as well?

[negfrequency]

its a great design, and if you go about it right you can get complete direction control with only effecting your weight (i hate that constraint)