Practicality of a Swerve Drive in CU

VEX Robotics Competition Discussion VRC
#1

Hello All!

My team and I were looking at drive choices for this year, and came upon a design called a “Swerve Drive”. I wanted to ask the forum how viable it would be for this year’s game. Each wheel needs to have 2 motors on it, and since we would have a 4 wheel drive, we would be putting all of our 8 motors on the drive train. But, we wanted to see if we could create a passive scorer/de-scorer. Even if we don’t keep it for all season, we just wanted to try our hands at it, and see how it is.

Here’s a picture:

swerve

Thanks!

#2

Similar post to bendy drive

Hmmmmm

Joined 13 minuets ago

HMMMMMMMM

2 Likes
#3

Wait what’s bendy drive?

#4

If you want to make a 4 motor swerve drive (known as a differential swerve), here is one side of one, as designed by Kyle from 81818X (I don’t know his forum name)

A diff swerve is the only way to actually build one in vex with the 8m limit

Its very hard, as can be seen from the picture

5 Likes
#5

It’s possible to make a differential swerve drive in vrc, which would allow you to both turn the wheels and power them with one motor. It’s what Leo is about to post I think

#6

Not practical at all. You wouldn’t have any motors for other scoring mechanisms. A passive mechanism to score in this game is almost impossible because of the lifting aspect.

#7

I am going to give this post the benefit of the doubt for now…

Also no, swerve drives are never practical for competitive VRC robots

#8

Thanks, but that seems to really have a lot of friction, are you sure that will work without an overheat?

#9

Not necessarily, it’s possible to do both the turning of the wheels and powering the wheels with the same motor as Leo’s post shows

#10

In all seriounsess if you were to attempt this it would be much more viabale to have 1 motor to turn the other motors, leaving 3 for whatever else

#11

He just wants know if is practical or not, let him be man.

Swerve drive provides a lot of benefits that other drive trains don’t and they are used in other comps, which he may have been inspired by

#12

idk ask kyle

#13

This is a serious post. Pls don’t flag for once lol

#14

ok, but the OP is asking if this is practical. That picture that was posted above is not at all practical.

#15

I saw it on an FRC Robot (1690 If i recall) and I wanted to ask how that would work with VEX, considering we have a motor limit

#18

It’s possible to make this design low friction and practical

#19

I’m sure it is, I’m just saying its not worth it (imo)

#20

What’s a flag? Is it like a report?

#22

Swerve drive can turn from a bendy drive to a tank drive in less than a second. Very op if someone makes one with low friction

#23

wow that is op!
bendy drive and tank drive at the same time!

i think we should all build sweve drive