Printable caterpillar track
Description
UPDATE: Here is a video! youtube.com/watch?v=nigrV9n9658
UPDATE 2: New version 1.2 of the tracks and wheels: more curve to avoid slipping
Instructions
Notes:
- [DONE] An idler is required to reduce lateral force in the servo axis
- [DONE] The chain needs to be even more curve to prevent it from slipping out
- Still need to figure out a nice chassis
In order to print the tracks, I use Cura (https://github.com/daid/Cura) and a 0.5mm nozzle.
Settings in Cura:
Bottom/Top thickness = 0mm
Wall thickness = 0.5mm
Fill density = 0%
Solid infill top = OFF
Joris the outer edge = ON
These settings will print the track as a continuous, single-walled spiral, which makes them very flexible and resistant :)
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Is nobody building this on the Replicator 2 using MakerWare? I've tried everything and it always fills the first layer.
I made a more cleaner scad code for the track, the wheel will come soon. I add the possibility to have mores wheels for larger track, snow blade each x teeth:
r=45 ; // outter radius of track
h=6; //heigth of track teeth
n=50;// nb of teeth of the track keep 9/10 ratio radius/nb of teeth
t=1;//perimeters width
w=15; //track width
ri=7.5;//radius of the internal wheel at least 1/2 of the width of the track
pi=3.14159;
j=1;//nb of internal wheel for large track
tw=pi*r/n;//perimetral size of tooth
b=0;//blade each teeth -for snow track, keep integer ratio with the number of teeth set to 0 for none
sb=3;//size of the snow blades
union(){
linear_extrude(height = w)teeth();
linear_extrude(height = w)jante();
for(i=[1:j])
translate([0,0,i*w/(j+1)])scale([1,1,1])rotate_extrude()innershape();
}
module teeth(){
for(i=[1:n])rotate([0,0,i*360/n])
polygon(points=[[r-t,2*tw/3],[r-h-t,tw/3],[r-t,-2*tw/3],[r-h-t,-tw/3]],paths=[[0,1,3,2]]);
if (b > 0)
{
for(i=[1:n/b])rotate([0,0,i*b*360/n])
polygon(points=[[r-t,2*tw/3],[r-h-t,tw/3],[r-t,-2*tw/3],[r-h-t,-tw/3],[r-t+b,0]],paths=[[0,1,3,2,4]]);
}
}
module jante(){
circle(r-h);
}
module innershape(){
translate([r-h/2-ri,0,0])circle(ri);
}
hope this help
because the derivative code from the bracelet is a bit messy !
Can anyone provide guidance on printing this on a R2? Using MakerWare?
I see the option to print without infill, but it still tries to print what looks like a bottom layer (before I stop the print). I don't see any options to not draw a top/bottom layer.
Thanks!
(FYI I'm working on cura/replicatorG but it has it's own list of problems I'm trying to work through just to get it to print anything at all)
I made a little modification in the caterpilar track scad file:
to make wider track I made the number of circular bump in the base parametric.
m=50;// number of bendy parts around the circle
nb=3;// number of circular bump on base
internal_radius = 3; //9
and made the other modification :
for(i=[1:nb]){
in the module base1 and module base2
so you can increase the width of the track ans add the number of circular bump you need.
I plan to make a ski doo so it is better to have larger track
by the way if a open scad wizard coul explain how to make a transversal fin each 5 zig zag (to increase traction on snow) ....
it coul add some versability to the design
Awesome, I'm glad someone finally made a real tank out of these. People kept suggesting it, but I don't have any motors lying around. Well done.
You took arround 2 hours to make it into the Featured list! Congratulations!!!
By the way, its awesome!
Looking good. I like the one piece tracks. Way less hardware required.
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License

What plastic is this printed with?
The tracks were printed with green PLA from RepRapWorld.com. I have found it is more flexible than PLA from faberdashery.co.uk (first design, printed in yellow), which makes it better for this purpose.