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UGV tracked Platform — Parallax Forums

UGV tracked Platform

NikosGNikosG Posts: 705
edited 2018-08-04 17:10 in Robotics
Hi all,
I came back to the forum with another ambitious project; the creation of an UGV tracked platform.
Is about a medium to large scale robotic platform, with plenty of space to install and test several electronics!!!
Of course cost is bigger than a normal robot but I think that having the right tools and making the right decision about what you must buy you can create a really expensive robot with the minimum cost….
The project is in progress and every time I’ll try to post material of my progress …..
Ok,
Here is my design till now…
size_compare0.jpg
I haven’t finished it yet but I have already gathered all the necessary pieces (from commerce, or modified, or 3d printed or made from CNC) to do that…
As you can see the platform is completed 3D designed and the size will be: 65cmX55cmx40cm.

Comments

  • Wow! It's great to see a teacher who's constantly pushing the envelope. Your students are going to have a fun year, methinks!

    -Phil
  • "... create a really expensive robot with the minimum cost…."

    I think you have a small typo there

    Mike
  • That looks powerful enough to push a car sideways.
  • msrobots wrote: »
    "... create a really expensive robot with the minimum cost…."

    I think you have a small typo there

    Mike

    I'm trying to make something like this:

    [video]
    Without doupt itis an amazing robot, but the cost is very hight (up to 10.000$)

    I think that I have approached very close that robot with about 1200 $ cost....
  • NikosGNikosG Posts: 705
    edited 2018-08-10 06:11
    Here are all the nessecary parts for the accembly (without the Brain)
    Parts_00_num.jpg

    A first general description follows:
    1,2) Rubber trucks BD-A (100mmX40mmX36#)
    3,4) Left and right motors (24V 300Watt RV30 gearbox)
    5, 9) Modified chassis
    6) Motor Holder 3D Printed
    7,8,10,11,12,13,14,15,,16,17,18,19) Parts of chassis
    20) Aluminum motor cover and base for Motor drive, power distribution board and various electronics
    21) Aluminum base for Battery and Brain
    22,23,24,25,26) Aluminum parts of the cover from the top of the robot
    27,28) Motor driver
    29) Power distribution board (Splitter board)
    30) Emergency stop switch
    31,32) Batteries (12V 20AH each)


    On the next posts I'll try to focus for every one of these parts, give the costs and the way I made them or the way I modified them ...

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  • I would suggest a remote stop switch. It is likely nobody will wand to get up close to that thing if it is in a bad situation. Props for the idea, though!
  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    AMAZING project, Nikos!
  • Where did you get those motors?
  • NikosGNikosG Posts: 705
    edited 2018-08-13 20:40
    Where did you get those motors?

    I got them from Alibaba (china).I searched :" 24V worm gear motor "and I had a lot of results...and I bought the cheaper ( 120$ each motor )
    I could choose the gearbox (for me the best solution was the "RV30 gearbox output speed 50-60 RPM" (I'll explain on next post how we can choose the right gear box )
    motors_24V_%20300w_RV30%20.jpg

    I also made a pair of aluminum couplers (here in Greece) in order to attach motors on my chassis.
    Motor_cooplers.jpg
    The cost was 60 euro (I can say that was much more expensive than Motors!)
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  • NikosGNikosG Posts: 705
    edited 2018-08-17 21:32
    Yesterday was the first outdoor test....
    Some photos:
    farm_robot_all.jpg
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  • How did it perform?
  • NikosGNikosG Posts: 705
    edited 2018-08-18 17:24
    How did it perform?

    The main board will be something from Parallax....
    However in order to test the basic movements (Skid Steering) I used for a while
    my radio : AT9 Radiolink and a Pixhawk from a drone.
    The robot is to heavy (156 libs),and due to the danger for wrong movements, I put it on a DIY work table in order to achive the right Skid Steering....
    ugv_work_table.jpg
    As I said on previus post the motors I use need 24V . So unfortunalelly I couldn't use the HB25 motor controller from parallax which can aford 12V, and I bought a SmartDriveDuo30 motor driver. (Unfortunatelly I haven't seen the DHB-10 from Parallax which is much more better...)
    Pixhawk_MDDS30.jpg


    Here is a video from my first Skid Steering test

    [video]

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  • Nikos, although the DHB-10 is a great controller, I do not believe it would fit your great new platform. It is only good for Maximum surge motor current: 12 A per channel. Your 300 Watt motors, and the weight of the vehicle would be pushing it to the limits if my calculations are correct.
  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    I can't believe how quiet the motors and tracks are! Great work Nikos!
  • Whit wrote: »
    I can't believe how quiet the motors and tracks are! Great work Nikos!

    Yes indeed... It is very quiet robot.... You understand it only when pass next to you... See the next video. You can hearing the sound of cicadas even when the robot pass next to the camera ...
    [video]
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,244
    Lovely robot, Nikos!
  • NikosGNikosG Posts: 705
    edited 2018-09-12 15:10
    ok, Here is some ideas that shows where I want to go with this project....
    UGV_All.jpg
    1) A UGV with a remote operate robotic arm
    2) A UGV platform , base for a tethered drone
    3) An outdoor sand writer
    4) A UGV with paintball gun
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  • ercoerco Posts: 20,244
    Nice! Love that sand writer. And of course I want that tethered drone in #2 to be able to lift the base.

    And since it is a GREEK robot, thearm in #1 absolutely need to be able to stack lightweight fluted cylinders to build a Greek temple...

    temple1.jpg

    temple2.jpg

    selinunte.jpg
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  • I could never choose between the four options. The robot turned out very nice!
  • NikosGNikosG Posts: 705
    edited 2018-09-12 19:28
    erco wrote: »
    Nice! Love that sand writer. And of course I want that tethered drone in #2 to be able to lift the base.

    Sand writer is also my favorite project....

    I'm in the process of the design a sophisticated sand printing head that will print characters with height 7 dots.....
    sand_writer_head_levels_z60.jpg
    Sand will be thrown down from 7 holes that will open-close 7 mini servos.....

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  • Roy ElthamRoy Eltham Posts: 2,996
    edited 2018-09-12 19:53
    That thing is a beast! I need to find where to buy those motors. (edit: saw your earlier comment about Alibaba)
  • Roy Eltham wrote: »
    That thing is a beast! I need to find where to buy those motors. (edit: saw your earlier comment about Alibaba)

    Roy here is the link for the motors
    https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/100-300W-90mm-self-locking-machine_60529359060.html?spm=a2700.8443308.0.0.61813e5fE3ncpt
  • I've never ordered anything from Alibaba, and it seems like it requires setting something up, and wants me to enter requirements?
    I found something very similar on ebay for ~$130, so I might get those.
  • Lightbulb!
    Obtain infinite funding, then build four bare bases. Then make one of each, using open channel radio to simultaneously control all four from the same controller!
  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    Lightbulb!
    Obtain infinite funding, then build four bare bases. Then make one of each, using open channel radio to simultaneously control all four from the same controller!

    Or make the base and add ons modular so a single base module can be fitted with one of many add on functional modules.
  • NikosGNikosG Posts: 705
    edited 2018-09-15 08:34
    kwinn wrote: »
    ..... make the base and add ons modular so a single base module can be fitted with one of many add on functional modules.

    That exactly I have done. The UGV chassis skeleton, is strong enough to hold additional weight and I also have specific holes in order to addapl the add-ons .
    chassis_skeleton.jpg

    However for a tethered drone, an hybridic platform such as the discontinued Propeller QuadRover would be the perfect choise because the big need for electric power...
    Anyway maybe I'll add small gas-powered generator for that project in the future ....
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  • NikosGNikosG Posts: 705
    edited 2018-09-26 11:36
    The sand printing head is almost ready.......

    Sand_printing_head.jpg

    Using a servo tester, I can check the functionality of each one port.
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  • LtechLtech Posts: 366
    edited 2018-10-03 19:01
    And Color sand printing ?
    With the P2....

    :smile:
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