Swerve drive

[Coach Norm]

Originally Posted by bkahl

195 took the AM Swerve (am-3009) and made some simple mods to put it "on steroids".

It for sure isn't the lightest, fastest, or best module out there, but we're pleased with how it came out and how easy it was to integrate.

Feel free to stop by our pit at Worlds to see it and ask questions. We will have a spare module to handle.

We used the AM Swerve as well. Can you share a few of the mods you made to the AM Swerve? We made a few as well.

Dremeled out the slot of the spur gear for a 2mm key that interfaces with the CIM motor shaft. We then put a 2mm key in the slot with the shaft collar around it. This required taking each module completely apart.

We 3D printed a gear that is one to one in size to the directional gear and then attached an MA3 encoder from US Digital to the gear for programming of direction and getting an absolute zero for direction. I cannot explain much in terms of electronics or programming but we will have our programmers in the pit as well as helping Greg McKaskle from NI on a LabView presentation at Champs.

[kitare102]

Originally Posted by bkahl

195 took the AM Swerve (am-3009) and made some simple mods to put it "on steroids".

It for sure isn't the lightest, fastest, or best module out there, but we're pleased with how it came out and how easy it was to integrate.

Feel free to stop by our pit at Worlds to see it and ask questions. We will have a spare module to handle.

What mods did you add to make the swerve and steer better? It's a possibility for our off-season project and we could probably get some good experience modifying a premade unit.

[chrisfl]

How much weight do your swerve modules come out to be? I am working on one during the off season and want to make it as light and compact as possible.

[sanddrag]

There's a lot of pictures and info about our swerve at 2015blog.team696.org. I'll be at championships and f you an find me, I'd be glad to answer any questions about it, but I won't have one with me, and the team will not be there.

[MaGiC_PiKaChU]

Originally Posted by chrisfl

How much weight do your swerve modules come out to be? I am working on one during the off season and want to make it as light and compact as possible.

our 2-speed modules weighed 9 pounds each.
we will take the second speed away, and if we manage to get the extra gears out, it would weight aprox. 7.5 - 8 pound each

[Kingland093]

My team is also interested in trying swerve but we have a lot of questions about programming them. (We use java)
We'll be in St. Louis as well.

Thanks in advance!

[tStano]

Originally Posted by Scott Kozutsky

I hope frc 2451 has one of their swerve modules from last year in the pit.

I don't know about last years modules, but they almost certainly will have some of this years swerve modules in their pit. They had a spare to pass around at Midwest last weekend. They fold down too, for getting out of transport configuration. I don't know where 2451 ranks on worldwide swerve rankings, but they're pretty high on my personal list.

[pwnageNick]

Originally Posted by tStano

I don't know about last years modules, but they almost certainly will have some of this years swerve modules in their pit. They had a spare to pass around at Midwest last weekend. They fold down too, for getting out of transport configuration. I don't know where 2451 ranks on worldwide swerve rankings, but they're pretty high on my personal list.

We will definitely have one of the fold-down swerve modules from our practice robot this year in the pit. We could probably bring one of our modules from 2014 as well if there's interest. Our main programming student behind the swerve will also be at champs (he couldn't attend Midwest) and can answer questions about that as well.

[asid61]

Look at the AndyMark Swerve and Steer. The only out-of-the-box solution to swerve that's I've seen. All it needs is the right programming.

[seanthompson]

Feel free to check out 537's swerve at our pits. We tried swerve for the first time this year, which was a lot of work but very fun and rewarding. We are also interested in talking to other more experienced teams about controlling/coding swerve because we have yet to unlock swerve's full potential.

[smistthegreat]

Originally Posted by asid61

Look at the AndyMark Swerve and Steer. The only out-of-the-box solution to swerve that's I've seen. All it needs is the right programming.

http://team221.com/

[marshall]

Originally Posted by smistthegreat

http://team221.com/

221's is a bit more piecemeal than the AM solution. Neither really has sensors integrated out of the box though and you'll need them to get the most out of a swerve system.

[mr. giggums]

Originally Posted by pwnageNick

We will definitely have one of the fold-down swerve modules from our practice robot this year in the pit. We could probably bring one of our modules from 2014 as well if there's interest. Our main programming student behind the swerve will also be at champs (he couldn't attend Midwest) and can answer questions about that as well.

I will be attending champs and will be happy to explain anything you want about programming the swerve.

[XaulZan11]

It may be tougher to find these teams, but I think it would be worthwhile to talk to teams who tried swerve for the first time and struggled. What did they struggle with and is there anything they would have done different?

[kgargiulo]

Feel free to stop by 4143 MARS/WARS pit. We are a 4th year team but have multiple iterations of home-built swerve designs (have previously posted CAD for one of those iterations, a search on CD should find that post) and have used swerve each of the past two years in competition. Happy to talk about pros/cons, software, and team #chainless or team #slipring (hey bombsquad). Grab any student in the pit.

Edit: I'm not involved in coding, but if memory serves Bomb Squad's code was something we started with. Still appreciated. By the way, bring back #mercotac.