Caterpillar Robot
Description
This thing is designed to work with a Futaba 3003 servo (modified for continuous rotation) and uses O-rings to make up the transmission and the caterpillar itself.
Transmission O-ring: 3mm thickness, 60mm diameter
Caterpillar O-rings: 3mm thickness, 124mm diameter
This O-ring system was chosen because it was easier to prototype, but it has evident drawbacks. In future revisions I will change it to a "solid" rubber track.
Note that the pictures of the printed robot at the bottom of the page are missing the reinforcement parts. I will upload new pictures as soon as I modify it!
Video of the robot in action!!
youtube.com/watch?v=efXHjjU-yYg (Simple test)
youtube.com/watch?v=mVgXtljqaAQ (Highest inclination: 36º)
Update! (17/4/2011)
Uploaded an HD artistic rendition of the UniTrack created by my brother Hasier Goitia. Expect more images and videos after the Easter Break!
Instructions
Lego axles can be used for the front and back wheels.
I have included the openscad file, but be warned! I tried to make the whole thing parametric, but since this was my first project it turned out to be a mess. I just uploaded it in case somebody wants to render the whole file (F5) and be able to take a better look at how it is supposed to be assembled. If you are brave enough you can search for "Main Parameters" and play around with those, but all the parts will probably not fit together any more!
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that's really cool. My engineering class is working with inventor right now and we are working on our final projects. could you post the dimensions?
neat job.. good job!
Yeah, sorry for the delay! Exact measurements were not a big concern in this project, so I did not really bother documenting the dimensions of each piece and the assembled robot. The final dimensions are roughly 180x60x50 mm. Like avalero said, you can always download the .scad file and modify the design to fit your needs. However, if you are going to use the same servos, it cannot be made much smaller or larger (The design I uploaded is close to the smallest possible configuration to fit all the parts, and if you make it much bigger the robot becomes impractical) Whatever you do, make sure to let us know!
Hi,
if you download the last file (with extension scad) you get the source code for modeling the pieces (there you can find de dimensions). It is written with OpenSCAD, an open and easy to use 3D design program. That could suit your students, as you can modify it, evolve it, and... contribute with imp
rovements!! In fact, this robot is part of a robotic course at our Uni.
Otherwise, let's wait for kepler to give the dimensions. Today is his birthday, so he must be busy :-P
I want to see it in live!!! What about a race when our caterpillator is finished? =P
Greetings, programs! Oh, what an occasion we have here before us. Because your rumours are true. We do indeed have in our midst a User! A user. So, what to do? What does this user deserve? Might I suggest, perhaps, the challenge of the grid? :)
The highest inclination you show on the video depends con the servos power or on the wheel adherence?
If you made toothed wheels you could run tank style tracks on it. I've seen some 3D printable ones on Thingiverse recently...
Wow. This has awesome potential. What if you added a joint in the middle? A small amount of articulation would enable you to traverse objects better, but maybe the flex in the o-rings would be enough. If I have a similarly sized servo, I'm definitely printing one! Maybe I'll print one even if I don't. :P
License
More from Kepler
Very cool design, and the new photo is awesome! :-D
I will wait for more videos and updates! :-P