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Pod - Nexus - Vic
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Nexus
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Pod - Nexus - Vic

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Robot Stats


Team name: Nexus

Robot name : Pod

Team location: Melbourne, Victoria

Robot weight: Feather Weight

Type of Robot: Tracked

Drive system: Roller chains, angle grinders and planetary gear stages.

Type/size of wheels: 65mm drive wheels, 50mm road wheels. 10mm track height x 70mm Track width

Weapon/s drive system: Modular weapon systems

Speed/motor control: variable combinations

Power: variable voltage batteries.

Armour: whatever

Length Width Height: 40cm x 40cm x 8cm (Base only)

Type of radio controler: Hitech

Radio frequancy: 36 MHz

General coments: High concentration of coolness

Unuasual charatistics: Unique Multi linked track system

No, of Fights: 0

Wins : 0

Losses: 0
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Post Tue Aug 23, 2005 11:42 am 
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prong
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what exactly are variable voltage batteries??

Post Tue Aug 23, 2005 12:19 pm 
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DumHed
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they start off at X volts, then gradually reduce as you use them.

I'm pretty sure I have some of those too Razz
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Post Tue Aug 23, 2005 12:32 pm 
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Nexus
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Yes they are special batteries, lol.

So far have made about 12 inchs of tracks. The rubber contact area is 5cm wide but when on soft ground it will sink in and then use the rollerchains on each side to bring the final width to 7cm.
Its a hybrid design that is influenced by Russian, German and English tanks of WW2.

Have looked at over 20 build reports from OS tank builders and am happy have come up with my own unique track design that looks way cool. From the front it looks and works a lot like a Sherman but on the inside its a combination of T34 wheels with German horns. The front drive wheels are based on a Panther as its profile just looks too cool. It looks very much like a miniature track system from a real tank so some noice detailing for everyone to chew on.

Atm the parts are up on blocks whilst I try to figure out how to include some form of suspension or dampening for heavy falls. Have been studying German tank suspension systems which is very different from what I have used before but might be the solution I need as the system takes up most of the floor pan but has hardly any height (about 1 or 2 cm) due to torsion bars which are new to me so stuck on what material to use.

If anyone has any ideas, please suggest away.
Looking for some form of steel thats about 2cm wide by about 10cm long that can twist a bit length wise but not bend.
Still havent decided on a few things like its shape but as its not based on anything will massage it together whilst building it but have an idea what I want it to end up like.
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Post Tue Aug 23, 2005 6:46 pm 
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Glen
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you could probably replace all the wheels with two cutting board, nylon, uhmw, whatever pieces that rub up against the bottom of the track, being way thinner than a normal wheel you could probably get alot of vertical movement of the piece for some good suspesion and i imagine the rubbing of cutting board against chain wouldnt wear it out too fast... people use the stuff as chain tensioners all the time.

although a tiger style setup would be awesome, with the alternating idler wheels, one in, one out Smile
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Post Tue Aug 23, 2005 7:06 pm 
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Totaly_Recycled
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Hi goerge sounds interesting mabee do a drawing or diagrme of the intended torsion system is the weight suspended on the flat of the bar or does it rely on the bar being twisted on its axis ect mabee you could use square or round bar as the tosion rods .. older cars use rods for holding the boot up and some freezers also use rod that is thiner.SOme of sproings parts are made from torsion rods .

Post Tue Aug 23, 2005 9:20 pm 
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Rotwang
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There use to be screen door closing torsion bar type springs that I think would work. I will see if there still available.

Post Tue Aug 23, 2005 9:47 pm 
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Nexus
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@Glen, your right about using cutting board but ended up just buying cheap plastic castor wheels for the same reasons you mentioned but they are a bit deep dished which is good for the tracks but harder on the ride so will probably go the torsion system.

A few days ago wasnt even a consideration but starting to see the advantages and they are many.

Anyways heres a diagram which is already old. Thinking if poss that if the shafts are thick enough could run them through to the arms themselves and just use some bushes on the spring steel, nice and simple but will see what I can find first.
Also by having a sliding locking mech shoud be able to adjust the tension on the application which would be a bonus.
http://www.robowars.org/forum/album_pic.php?pic_id=987
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Post Wed Aug 24, 2005 11:08 am 
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Nexus
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Much progress on the track system.
One side of the tracks is done and have been trying out wheels combos and playing with suspension ideas.

Had recently worked out the simple riddle of how to have a symmetrical external wheel setup with an asymetrical internal suspension setup and have done a mock up with a cutting board.
Looks very cool to have 18 movable arms coming out of a 12mm cutting board.

The cutting board seperates the 2 tracks and sits torwards the top of the tracks and into the width a bit so the tracks overlap on the board so you end up with a completely flat floorpan with lots of ground clearance.

Have come up with a nice way to get the suspension to work smoothly.
Firstly for the torsion bars will be using some hack saw blades which are pretty close to what sort of tension I need. Until I find something better anyway. Have a few other pieces that will complete the setup.

Have decided to use a small bearing on the outside sleeve from each suspension arm to make it really smooth. Have collected a few from videos and stuff and they have an internal diameter of 6mm.
Have enough to do the T34 setup as per earlier pic but have worked out how to interleave the roadwheels and it would be very nice to have such a thing.

Starting to favour the setup of the King Tiger which looks more like a Panther with an extra wheel on each side. Its basically a wheel in then a wheel out, no other layereing like the early models.
Anyways will keep hacking till I make the final desicion on the wheel setup.

BTW does anyone have any bearings with a 6mm ID out of old videos and stuff.
Have 11 and I need to end up with 18.
The OD doesnt matter as I have 3 different ODs already.

Made a mock of the arms using just 1/4 inch rod bent to shape but looking for materials to redo the arms using 3 pieces, have parts for the axles but looking for something for the arm itself.

Hoping by next weekend to have the other track done, then to make some decisions on how to hold the body together.

MIght have to change the name soon, its looking toooo military and German.
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Post Tue Aug 30, 2005 11:36 am 
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andrew



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Geese George.

I must say that u r always one to make things out of the box as that setup sounds truly insane and one of a kind.

As soon as its somewhat together or tracks r done post some pics if possible please as i as well as eerybody else r dieing to see this thing.
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Post Tue Aug 30, 2005 2:53 pm 
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Nexus
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Thanks Andrew, not a huge amount of progress but some reworking of certain things.
Havent done the second side yet as the store had run out of theaded rod but have been toying with the drive and considering options.
Returned the 4 x 21 tooth sprockets that I had last week because they where just too heavy with a huge metal spindle on them requireing lots of lathing so ended up getting 18 tooth plate sprockets which just need to be welded to the collars.

Small pic shows how I mounted the angle grinders to a piece of u chanel but thats getting put aside.
Was considering using angle grinders again for their ease but wanted a heavier drive shaft so have gone 1/2 inch on the front and rear axle and offsetting the drive with a small chain so repairs can be easier.

So far most of the weight is the tracks and the main drive axle. everything else is very lightweight indeed. The track I have completed is just over a kilo I would guess so very happy with how thats going.

The track is more of a replica than practical robot use so not sure which way to go as I have another version which puts the drive gear more internal.
Anyways heres a pic but things seem to be changing till some final decisions are made.
The track shown is not completely finished, one of the things still to decide on is a tread to be glued on to the rubber pieces to increase its grip and possibly add another set of teeth to the outside but not sure if required yet.

http://www.robowars.org/forum/album_pic.php?pic_id=997

The bottom pic is more of a prototype of the wheel setup to give me an idea as to distances between wheels etc and will be redone, main thing left to work out is some sort of frame holding the front axle to the rear axle, arms in between will be connected to this frame somehow, so this thing might end up being surprisingly light.
Theres a few other ideas to go in but will wait till they are done b4 spilling the beans.
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Post Mon Sep 05, 2005 5:46 pm 
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Nexus
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Picked up a lot of small parts today and have been making some good progress.
Still only have the one track done but have been developing the body and the mounts for the suspension system which has really developed into something better than I thought it would.

It has a friction drive component so under load or impact the road wheels will not get dramatic friction losses and all the gaps have been tightened up so a sideways impact to one of the road wheels will make it brace up against other wheels so system should work a treat.

Have started remaking all the arms as early attempts where just poor and came up with a better approach to getting sharp corners out of a rod.
Picked up some stainless 1/4 inch rods for all the arms as well as a whole bunch of grub screws and other bits and pieces that will make this thing look soooo technical but in reality its fairly simple once you get the jist of it.
So far the track just glides a long on everything very smooth so should end up being as fast as I hope.

Also picked up the threaded rods needed to complete the other track but will probably finish the body first then spend a day sometime and make up a few feet of track, then to decide on the appropriate motor/gearbox for this thing. mmm a couple of dewalts would look sweet as, maybe the nu 3 speed but long way away from motor selection yet.
And finally worked out a method of getting cleats on the tracks using some floor rubber which will give it grip and look sweet as.
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Post Wed Sep 14, 2005 5:43 pm 
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Nexus
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Its really taking shape now.
Have cut down the metal channel for the body and have secured rear axle and am in process of working out which parts to use for drive.

Atm looks like I will be using the gears from inside an angle grinder and attach a normal size drill planetary and motor, wasnt really the initial plan but it will allow me to make use of the space left as there isnt much but if packed right can fit in a bit.

The real biatch has been trying to secure the bearing blocks for the road wheels which is a strip of cutting board.
The channel being used for the body has a curved edge, no actual corners and ths make it hard to mount the strip reeal close to the edge so have to make an attificial corner somehow.

Have cut a few pieces of cutting board for the front and rear axles for support and have been using the router tool on the dremmel to create channels for the track to pass in so there is no gaps between track and body, very noice this addition.
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Post Mon Sep 19, 2005 3:20 pm 
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Philip
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Piccies would be nice.
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Post Mon Sep 19, 2005 5:44 pm 
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Nexus
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Will put up some pics in a few days once I sort out the new drive components that I just picked up..
Did a swap with Tim last night and picked up some 2 speed all metal gearboxs with 600 size 18 volt Johnsons, just when I said I was using 500 size motors, oh well.
They have different ends and only one has a shaft so have to hack some parts out of other units I have but think these will work a treat especially having 2 speeds on something like this.
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Post Tue Sep 20, 2005 5:02 pm 
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