Robotics

Drive Systems
By: Mr. Gravitt
 This Unit
• In this unit students will be exposed to
the physical principles of friction &
traction while exploring the implications
these principles have on robot
drivetrain design. Students will be
shown a variety of different robot drive
system types and will learn the
differences between them.
• Students will then apply the lessons
they've previously learned about DC
motors & gear ratios to design the
powertrain of their robot's drive
system.
 Vocabulary
• Skid Steering – in robotics it is called a
(Tank Drive) whether or not it uses
wheels, tracks, or both.
• Swerve Drive – all 4 wheels can both
turn and drive.
• Automotive Type Drive – Open
Differential & Rack and Pinion Steering
• Holonomic: Omnidirectional Drive
1) Omni Drive AKA X- Drive
2) Kiwi Drive
3) Mecanum Drive
 There are countless drive systems
• Of course you can always use wheels.
• And, you can turn them, just like on a
car.
• However, there are many more options than this!
• Each type of drive system has benefits over the other
drive systems, but each type of drive also has
negatives! You will need to take the positives and
negatives of each drive system when designing your
robot for a competition.
• In this lesson you are going to build and program 6
different designs.
 Tank Drive Wheels
• Tank drive doesn’t
mean exactly like a
treaded tank! This
is tank drive on
the clawbot.
• Instead of turning
wheels it turns by
slipping wheels,
and/or moving in
opposite
directions.
 Tank Drive Treads
• By adding
TREADS it
increases traction
dramatically.
• Takes way more
power = slower
speeds, more
maintenance,
more moving
parts more likely
to break.
 Tank Drive Treads
• There are many tread
setups with each having
advantages and
disadvantages.
• Most can be powered by 2
motor.
• Packbot has to have more
motors to work, since the
front tracks have to
articulate.
 Tank Drive Program Step 1
• Open a new
competition
project

• Click OK
 Tank Drive Program Step 2
• Click on the
operator
control tab

• Expand the
Joystick
commands
dropdown
 Tank Drive Program Step 3
• There are
numerous
ways to write
this program
• Lets use the
tank drive 4
motor
• Use 2 motor
for a 2 motor
setup
• Drag it over
into the loop
 Tank Drive Program Step 4
• The tank 4
motor input
tab should
appear
• FL Motor 2
• FR Motor 3
• LR Motor 4
• RR Motor 5
• Or wherever
you put
them.
 Tank Drive Program Step 4
• Call it tank
drive
• Then click
OK
• Build and
Download
Program
• Test it out
 Holonomic Drives
• Robotics term – if total degrees of
controllable freedom is 100% (can go
in any direction and even spin in
place) then the drive is said to be
holonomic.
• There are many setups and a several
of different types of wheels.
• Each has advantages and
disadvantages.
• All of them dislike dirt, uneven
surfaces
 Omnidirectional Wheels
• Wheels with
rollers
perpendicular to
the wheels
rotation
direction.
• Note: Can be
also combined • Doesn’t work well on inclines
with traditional and/or surfaces that are not
wheels. FLAT/SMOOTH!
• Slower, less traction
X Drive and H Drive
 Holonomic Program Step 1
• Open a new
competition
project

• Click OK
 Holonomic Program Step 2
• Click on the
operator
control tab

• Expand the
Joystick
commands
dropdown
 Holonomic Program Step 3
• To write this
program is
very easy
• Holonimic
• Drag it over
into the
loop
 Holonomic Program Step 4
• It is set up
pretty much
the way I
need it
• Pick your
motor
locations
 Holonomic Program Step 4
• 1, 10, 2, & 3
are the
motors I
used
• I named it
Omni Drive
Program
• Click OK
 Holonomic Program Step 5
• It should
read like
this
• Then Build
and
Download
program
• Test it out
 Kiwi Drive
• Wheels always
slipping!
• Difficult to tell (in the
operators mind)
where the front and
rear of the robot is.
It always moves what
seems like sideways!
• Can be programmed
many ways!
Kiwi Drive
 Kiwi Program Step 1
• Open a new
competition
project

• Click OK
 Kiwi Program Step 2
• Click on the
operator
control tab

• Expand the
Joystick
commands
dropdown
 Kiwi Program Step 3
• To write this
program we
are going to
cheat a little
and are going
to use arcade
4 motor even
though we
will only use
3 motors.
 Kiwi Program Step 4
• Choose
which
channels to
use as drive
and spin.
Use odds or
evens to use
both sticks…
 Kiwi Program Step 4
• Put in your
3 motor
ports
locations.
• Leave the
4th motor on
a blank
motor port.
• Call it drive
• Click OK
 Kiwi Program Step 4
• Should look
like this
when done.
• Download
and build.
• Test it out, if
you don’t like
the controls
change them
around to
your liking.
 Mechanum Wheels
• More Traction,
Faster
• Works better that
omni wheels on
inclines and/or
uneven surfaces.
• Can program the
controls in many
ways! • Notice: there are two
different wheels!!!
Mechanum Wheels
• Notice: there
are two
different
wheels, a front
wheel and a
rear wheel, and
they have
different roller
directions.
 Mechanum Program Step 1
• Open a new
competition
project

• Click OK
 Mechanum Program Step 2
• Click on the
operator
control tab

• Expand the
Joystick
commands
dropdown
 Mechanum Program Step 3
• There are
numerous
ways to write
this program
• Lets use the
tank drive 4
motor
• Drag it over
into the loop
 Mechanum Program Step 4
• The tank 4
motor input
tab should
appear
• FL Motor 2
• FR Motor 3
• LR Motor 4
• RR Motor 5
• Or wherever
you put
them.
 Mechanum Program Step 4
• Call it tank
drive
• Then click
OK
 Mechanum Program Step 5
• Should look
like this
• This will
make it run
like a normal
tank drive
• Now lets
make it
crawl
sideways
 Mechanum Program Step 5
• Click and
drag Digital
Motor over
into the loop
• We are
going to do
this 4 times
once for
each motor.
 Mechanum Program Step 6
• Select the
channel you
want, I’m
picking
channel 6
• I have it
plugged into
motor port
#2
 Mechanum Program Step 6
• Select the
channel you
want, I’m
picking
channel 6
• I’m calling it
LF Wheel
• Click OK
 Mechanum Program Step 6
• Should look
like this
when done.
• Then drag
another
Joystickdigit
almotor
over into the
loop.
 Mechanum Program Step 7
• Select the
channel you
want, I’m
picking
channel 6
• Motor 3
• I’m calling it
RF Wheel
• Click OK
 Mechanum Program Step 7
• Should look
like this
when done.
• Then drag
another
Joystickdigit
almotor
over into the
loop.
 Mechanum Program Step 8
• Select the
channel you
want, I’m
picking
channel 6
• Motor 4
• I’m calling it
LR Wheel
• Click OK
 Mechanum Program Step 8
• Should look
like this
when done.
• Then drag
another
Joystickdigit
almotor
over into the
loop.
 Mechanum Program Step 9
• Select the
channel you
want, I’m
picking
channel 6
• Motor 5
• I’m calling it
RR Wheel
• Click OK
 Mechanum Program Step 9
• Should look
like this
when done.
• Build and
Download
the program
and test it
out!
 CAR
• Front wheels
steering
• Rear and or rear
wheels drive
• We are going to
build a Rear Wheel
drive with on open
differential and with
rack and pinion
front steering.
 Car Drive Program Step 1
• Open a new
competition
project

• Click OK
 Car Drive Program Step 2
• Click on the
operator
control tab

• Expand the
Joystick
commands
dropdown
 Car Drive Program Step 3
• Click on the
operator
control tab

• Expand the
Joystick
commands
dropdown
 Car Drive Program Step 4
• Joystick to
digital servo
motor, drag
into the loop.
• Enter the
motor slot,
channel, and
name it
steering.
• Click OK
 Car Drive Program Step 4
• Should read
something
like this
once your
done.
 Car Drive Program Step 5
• Joystick to
digital motor,
drag into the
loop.
• Enter the
motor slot,
channel, and
name it
Drive.
• Click OK
 Car Drive Program Step 6
• Should read
something
like this.
• Then build
and download
the program
to the robot.
• Test it out and
make any
corrections.
SWERVE DRIVE
• Uses Servos to turn
direction of each
wheel independently
• And, a motor on each
wheel to drive it.
• It can turn it’s wheels to
drive in any direction,
and/or spin in place.
• Programmed many
different ways!
 Swerve Drive Program 1 Step 1
• Open a new
competition
project

• Click OK
 Swerve Drive Program 1 Step 2
• Click on the
operator
control tab

• Expand the
Joystick
commands
dropdown
 Serve Drive Program 1 Step 3
• Click on the
operator
control tab

• Expand the
Joystick
commands
dropdown
 Serve Drive Program 1 Step 4
• Click and drag
either arcade
4 motor or
the tank 4
motor over
into the loop.
Pick which
way you want
to control
your robot!
 Serve Drive Program 1 Step 5
• I choose
tank 4
motor, but
you can
choose
arcade if
you like.
• Put the
motor
numbers in.
 Serve Drive Program 1 Step 5
• Call it tank
drive and
should read
like this.
 Serve Drive Program 1 Step 6
• Click and drag
Joystick to
digital servo
into the loop.
• Note: You are
going to have
to do this a
total of 4
times, once
for each
servo.
 Serve Drive Program 1 Step 7
• Choose the
servo
number and
the channel
(buttons)
you wish to
use.
• Name it
Servo 1
• Click OK
 Serve Drive Program 1 Step 7
• Should look
like this
when your
done.
• Drag
another
digital to
servo over
into loop.
 Serve Drive Program 1 Step 8
• Choose the
servo
number and
the channel
(buttons)
you wish to
use.
• Name it
Servo 2
• Click OK
 Serve Drive Program 1 Step 8
• Choose the
servo
number and
the channel
(buttons)
you wish to
use.
• Name it
Servo 2
• Click OK