What's your favorite drive-train?

VEX V5 General Discussion General Forum
#1

Hello VEX Forum world!,
I have been doing a little research lately about possible drive-trains for this years game, and it got me thinking. What is my favorite drive-train I’ve ever seen? And then that got me thinking, I wonder what everyone else’s favorite is? So here is my question to you, what is your favorite, the craziest, most innovative, most creative, oddest drive-train you’ve ever built/ or seen? Everything is welcome and please post pictures if you can with the description of the drive-train. Thank you all for your time!

Here’s a picture of my current favorite ftc 546 12-wheel tank drive:
https://vexforum.com/gallery/files/1/4/3/7/DSCN1510.JPG

And a drive-train project I’m currently working on with Aperture Robotics the Nonatread:

-Dave

#2

This one is pretty cool.

#3

This one for me, we’re showing our age :slight_smile:

#4

DAVEEEE This question is awesome! :smiley:

Well im going to attempt to stay in the Robotics realm for mine

My favorite drive trains are something we call West Coast Drives in FRC or a mix of a few drives as there are different variations. The most popular and probably well known are 254’s, I have been trying to make one like theirs I really like the drive trains.

http://team254.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/drivebase-2011-1-10-550x334.jpg

The gearboxes are also pretty freaking cool!

The oddest drive train I have ever seen will probably be a version of a kiwi drive that I saw. What makes this the craziest kiwi I have seen is that 2 wheels were 4 inches and one wheel was 2.75 inches, I have no idea what this did to help or know why the person did this. When I saw it, it didn’t make much sense. That is why its the craziest.

Most Innovative/Creative drive trains I have seen probably, would be given to the teams who design things such as 148’s Nonadrive, or 488’s Octocanum (as I call it Spamthingmicon/Baconmicon), Or 1625’s “Lobster drive” or any drive train that has 2 functions or at least 2 driving styles.

The Craziest drive train, I’ll give that to my good friend Cody with team PTD and his omni-module. Those things were just… Crazy… I took them apart, they were pretty much the most engineered thing on that entire robot and were freaking BRICKS I tell you! Maybe we will have to reconstruct one someday just to keep it for the sake of keeping it. Also I don’t want to seem like I’m being full of myself for my team Im clearly saying PTD for a reason (just to make that clear).

I do want to make a personal entry though for the worked on section.

I helped design a crab drive this year for FTC with some students I’m pretty proud of the system and I like to show it off as work of me helping students.

here are some pictures:

If you want to view the entire album (it should be public) click here

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150180408805728&set=a.463736115727.249551.717065727&type=1&theater&pid=7325391&id=717065727

#5

Trains are beautiful, but I was going more along the lines of the base of robots. :p. Not actual drive trains. :pp Sorry. And man Andrew, you sure do know how to write a response. :p. I love west coast drives, as you know, I’m actually working on one right now. ;]. <-------Teaserrrr. And crab drives/Swerve drives are beautiful, I hope to make one someday.

-Dave

#6

We know, just playing with words and having some fun.

#7

I figured, wasn’t positive though.

#8

Good Question

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fLf71xlVhE&feature=fvwrel

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw5mjxtPvaE

I have a thing for Co-Ax Swerve.

~DK](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw5mjxtPvaE)

#9

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fLf71xlVhE&feature=fvwrel

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw5mjxtPvaE

I have a thing for Co-Ax Swerve.

~DK](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw5mjxtPvaE)

I think we know what your building for a drive train this year :wink:

#10

I find these very fascinating. And its almost doable with this years game objects… :rolleyes:

I will agree that swerve/crab drives are pretty nice. I also love mechanum wheels as well. My team might even use some this year.

#11

Yeah good luck… :wink:

#12

Like Andrew said, good luck. Making VEX mechanum wheels wont be easy. It’s possible, but perfecting them will be hard. Someone please do it. I want some for myself. ;). Hehehehe.

-Dave

#13

Green Egg already did it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS8P0ZnK7PA

#14

For vex its got to be the 6 wheel drive base. With a high traction wheel in the middle and two omnis on the ends. Why this base? Simply because it allows for max speed, manuverabilty, and pushing power(torque?).

For frc its got the be the 6 wheel drive west coast style. This is the same wheel configuration just the center wheel is dropped(lower than the others) to allow max mauverabilty.

#15

Not pretty, but still awesome! Dave wants some.

-Dave

#16

We know. Just sayin’ its ALOT of work I know from experience. Green Eggs does have a GREAT design, don’t get me wrong. But there are some flaws on the efficiency side of things. No matter they pretty much beat us to the wheels and we are giving them credit for the first VEX legal wheels. Just sayin’ lots of work.

#17

I agree they aren’t perfect. They would be pretty hard to build precisely, but they are fairly simple. I would definitely like to see 4" mecanum wheels though.

#18

Already done if your willing to pay for them :wink:

#19

Where? And how much? :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

~Jordan

#20

I second this lol.

But yeah I’m curious as to how. There aren’t many 4" diameter VEX objects that you could build the omni wheels off of.