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Mechanical Basics

Here are some basic pointers to assembling the frame...

Our Frame

  • 63.5 cm X 63.5 cm body
  • Box tube: 2 cm X 4 cm with 0.3175 cm wall thickness
  • SDS MK3 Fast Modules with NEO motors
  • CANCoder (hall-effect) encoders for angle motor

Important

Wheels should be kept free of threads such as carpet and string. Threads can be caught in the wheels and can slow or even break the swerve components.

Frame dimensions

A main component of the swerve drive--as seen by existing swerve teams--use a square frame. While a rectangular frame is certainly possible, a square frame is advantageous in many ways.

Quick Tips

  • Swerve robots typically are slightly more unstable than tank drive robots. As such, it is crucial that the CG (center of gravity) is as low as possible to prevent a loss of stability while driving.
  • Due to the fast acceleration and erratic movement of swerve robots, essential components should be mounted firmly to a stable object such as the frame. This is even more important in regards to the beattery, due to the danger of having a loose battery and the potential robot deactivation, as such we recomend firmly strapping down the battery and ensuring that it will not slip out on tight turns or collisions.
  • Any electrical components can be firmly mounted with electrical tape to ensure their stability while the robot is running due to the potentially devistating consequinces of having a electrical conponent come loose in a collision.
  • Gearboxes should be greased regularly to ensure optimal functionality, but be careful that you use a propper amount of grease because having too much or too little can damage the gearboxes.
  • The gearbox casing can be 3D printed to ensure that no grime or debris impede the functionality of the gearbox.