Version 24, last updated by jlg at January 31, 2010 UTC











Mechanical Caracteristics

  • Target max speed: 1m/s
  • Target size: 42mm x 42mm x 42mm (cardboard model on the right)
  • Target weight: ~60g

Drive train

Micro motor


Wheels

http://www.solarbotics.com/products/gm10w/

  • Diam 25mm
  • Width 5.7mm
  • Weight: 2g

Optical encoders

I will use 2 optical encoder one can find in an old ball mouse.

Assembly

The base of the robot will be an assembly of two couples (RPM15 + wheel).
The motor drives directly the wheel, thanks to the reductor directly on the motor.

Estimated weight (without the assembly plate and hardware): 10g

The total width of this assembly can fit in 42mm.

 

Torque and Speed

Some tests with the pager motors showed a lack of torque.
Let's check our needs in torque and speed:

Torque

Assume the following parameters:

  • Total weight = 0.210 [kg] (150g ball on top of a 60g robot - even if we don't plan to have this configuration)
  • Wheel diameter = 0.025 [m] (assume gm10w)
  • Acceleration max = 0.5 [m.s-2] (theoretical)
  • Speed max = 1 [m.s-1] (theoretical)

The necessary torque is the torque needed to compensate the force F = w * a at a distance D/2 when the robot is at a full stop:


Torque = 0.210 * 0.5 * 0.025/2 = 1.3125 [milli-Newton.meters]
Double check with the dimensions: kg*m/s/s*m = N*m OK !


WolframAlpha tells us it equivalent to 13.4 g.cm, our GM15 motor appears to be powerful enough at 3V, and don't forget we use 2 motors to move, so the needed torque is half this number, or 6.7 g*cm \o/ (or 200% security margin).

Speed

Motor speed: 920 RPM @ 3V free (remember, LiPo = 3.7V)
Wheel diameter: 25mm
Wheel perimeter: 78.54mm
Reduction: 1:1
Wheel speed: 920 RPM
Max Linear speed: 1200 mm/s (theoretically).

The motor graph shows we will be able to push the ball with a speed up to 30cm/s.

 

Battery

LiPo batteries comes in different sizes and packages. I'll use a 350mAh, 3.7V single cell, placed in front of the robot. HobbyKing