My team is trying to decide what to make out base and sides out of for out swerve this is are first year and we are at a standstill about it. So we would like to know what other people think are the best materials to do this.
Thank you
Swerve drivetrains are typically assembled from 2x1 aluminum tubing. Consider options from WCP, TTB, REV, or Last Anvil with prepunched holes. Also Consider buying your own 2x1 tubing from other sources preferably 6061 or 7075 aluminum. Some teams also use 2x1 brass to lower CoG. The base is often assembled out of Polycarbonate, AKA lexan. But they can also be made from sheet aluminum. Reference this design:
We ran standard 1/8" wall 1"x2" aluminum box tube, as well as a pocketed 1/8" steel bellypan. Super easy, super durable.
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Like others have said, 2x1 tubing and aluminum belly pan is the way to go. We use the SDS MK4i modules which act as the corners of the frame with their bottom plate sandwitching the tube. Last year we did 1/16" aluminum belly pan as we had frame rails running across the inside of the frame to help “pull up” and support the middle of the belly pan and especially the battery.
If you dont want to do cross frame suports and have a completly open belly pan for electronics, then I would do 1/8" aluminum, once again just bolted or riveted to the bottom of the frame tubes. Being 1/8" provides enough strength to mount your battery in the middle (for centralized CG) and provide regidity to the frame despite the lack of interframe cross tubes.
If you make your belly pan out of flat aluminum, no pocketing, it will help to keep everything cleaner and keep things out of electronics
my favorite method is to use a thick plate, say 1/2 inch or larger, mill the swerve bearing pickup holes into that plate itself, and isogrid the rest. 
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If you prefer a non-conductive material that is pretty stiff for the belly pan, plywood works too (but it’s not very fancy)