Ominal Direction Wheels

thingiverse

Our 1st year Aeronautical engineering project was to design a highly maneuverable autonomous vehicle that could navigate across a predetermined course. I conceptualized and created these unique omni-directional wheels, which we then attached to each of the four DC motors in a precise angular alignment with the chassis. This allowed us to change the direction of rotation for each wheel, enabling the vehicle to move in any direction while all four motors operated simultaneously. I've uploaded STL files so you can start printing them right away. I've also uploaded .ipt files so that if you have Autocad Inventor, you can modify the files to suit your needs. Finally, there are technical drawings for each component, providing further information on the technical aspects of the project. There are four videos linked in this post, showcasing the assembly process and the prototype's performance during the pre-competition phase. One video demonstrates how to assemble the wheels, while the other three showcase the wheels in action. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a suitable program for editing videos with music, so you won't find any audio in the assembly video. If you decide to modify or remix these files, please share the link back to this page. If you end up printing and selling these wheels, a tip would be greatly appreciated. The required materials are: • 96x No. 8.5 O-rings, which can be purchased at Bunnings in Australia • 4x M3x12 bolts or 1/8 inch bolts from Bunnings • 4x M3 nuts or 1/8 inch nuts from Bunnings • 4x Approximately 218 mm lengths of filament • 4x M3x4 Grub screw (optional) • 10mm diameter shaft (optional) The suggested printing parameters are: • O-ring disc: 0.10mm layer height, 20% infill, no support • Wheel hub – Front: 0.25mm layer height, 20% infill, no support • Wheel hub – Rear: 0.25mm layer height, 20% infill, no support To assemble the wheels, follow these steps: 1. Fit the O-rings around the o-ring disc, similar to fitting a bike tube over a bike rim. 2. Use the length of filament as a flexible, circular shaft for the o-ring disc by passing it through 24 of the o-ring discs per wheel. 3. Press the filament into the grooves of the Omni-directional wheel – Front, where each slot accommodates one of the 24 O-ring discs. 4. Secure the Omni direction wheel - Front with the Omni direction wheel - Rear using nuts and screws. 5. Use the Grub screw on the Wheel hub – Front to secure a 10mm shaft. Additional notes: • The tolerances between the grooves of the Wheel hub – Front and Wheel hub – Rear are designed to minimize movement while preventing friction. Ensure your printer bed leveling and z offset are properly tuned to prevent under or over dimensions in the grooves. • Clean up any foreign filament from the grooves using a small hobby knife. • If you find the wheels too tight, consider increasing the scale of the wheel hubs. Watch the assembly video for further guidance: https://youtu.be/5IXuw3Ofw3Q See the prototype in action: https://youtu.be/PPMtqcIAz2Q https://youtu.be/Dwe3zEYrReY https://youtu.be/UlDNLiyXAQk