Robot Chassis (refresh to update)

[blueroomelectronics]

Orc, You've been such a help in the design; if you can get the Tamiya parts I'd be happy to send you a chassis. The prototypes look excellent, the metal shop did an A1 job and tweeked the design to make it a perfect fit. I have a few small mods (more space for nuts, moving the front PCB mount closer to the motors, wider spacing for the front mounts 61mm (2.4" for mounting standard 0.1" spacing PCBs) vs 56mm moving the top spacers down slightly...
And the final version will be either anodized or clearcoated.
Might do a limited black anodize version, almost too small to see though...

I've set up an MSN live account if anyone wants to chat about the kits.

You'll need
Tamiya: Double Gearbox, Ball Caster, 58mm Narrow wheels.
Also a pair of AA battery holders with 6" leads.

I've attached the beta schematic of the controller, it's just the basics at the moment.

 

[bloody-orc]

AA holders I can get but Tamiya: Double Gearbox, Ball Caster, 58mm Narrow wheels are hard to find over here... so would like to see them also popping out of the box how much does the shipping cost? (or plaining would be more appropriate word here probably)

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Mongoose's PCB first peek, not even close to done though but looking good.
This PCB is small, only 2.9" x 1.9"
**broken link removed**
And the odd layout for the top breadboarding connector is for LCD support in a pinch. Not designed to be run around with it on but handy for diagnostics (RPM etc...) when stationary.
**broken link removed**

 

[bloody-orc]

(y)
Nice. Keep up the good work
But why is the LCD so off-center? Because of the connection pins under the LCD module? Any "real" bots yet? half assembled or something... Would like to see how it looks in real life (not that your 3D is bad or anything, but it isn't real colors )

 

[blueroomelectronics]

The LCD display is off center as there's not much choice in the mounting position. It shouldn't matter as it's not designed to be moving with the LCD and the LCD should be treated as a diagnostic option (rotation counter that sort of thing)

I'll post a photo today, there's a blurry one around the forums but it's a sunny day so I'll take a nice sharp photo and post it.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Here's a photo with prototype PCB.
**broken link removed**

 

[3v0]

Mongoose keeps looking better all the time.

Could make a nice teaching tool too.

It looks like it may be possible to bolt an adapter plate to the front to support a 2nd axle so that one could add tank tracks.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Mongoose keeps looking better all the time.

Could make a nice teaching tool too.

It looks like it may be possible to bolt an adapter plate to the front to support a 2nd axle so that one could add tank tracks.

The Tamiya tank treads are too cheap, they slip off easy. It was designed to be expandable, and that would be possible.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Hi Bill,

It's nice to see a picture of your prototype board - I always get the impression your excellent PCB's just spring from 'no where', it's nice to see they are prototyped first!

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Hi Bill,

It's nice to see a picture of your prototype board - I always get the impression your excellent PCB's just spring from 'no where', it's nice to see they are prototyped first!

I'm not that good . The designs are often the result of help from fellow enthusiasts found in these forums.

And I do have ugly hand wired prototypes all over the place. Ladybug is next and it will be hand wired first.

 

[3v0]

Once I obtained access to a CNC for drilling holes I stopped building hand wired prototypes. I use PCB-GCode script which generates the drill file from inside Eagle. The prototypes end up with a few wires to fix problems or add things.

The PCB artwork improves each time I work on a project. When I layout a board then come back to it for changes I often find ways to improve the original artwork.

There are always several projects going so I tend to make a 2 or 3 boards at once. This makes sense because the setup time is greater then the actual process for one board.

I am looking forward to using the CNC to mill cutouts in cases and making small parts. When time allows or the need becomes great.

The danger is that one can get caught up in improving the tools and never get any real projects done. I am guilty of that.

 

[bloody-orc]

Very nice bot.
I like it so much, that I went and got myself a Mongoose mountain bike
Actually didn't know it existed, but saw that in the shop while searching me a new bike, and BOOM a Mongoose! Neat

 

[Souper man]

That is a good looking bot...

LOL look at mine! mine look like crap, but i am merely a beginner.

search for spagetti and fettuccine, they are my bots so far, but i am planning another soon...

 

[blueroomelectronics]

That is a good looking bot...

LOL look at mine! mine look like crap, but i am merely a beginner.

search for spagetti and fettuccine, they are my bots so far, but i am planning another soon...

I've seen fettuccine, it looks excellent. Sandwich the line following robot looks alot like yours and it was built by a guy who wrote books on the subject.
If I had tried to build the chassis myself it would have looked pretty bad.
**broken link removed**

 

[Souper man]

Well, im glad someone admits that making custom chassis is difficult. The guy who built sandwich, is linked to my robot site, robot room. I acutally built and bought his first book, robot building for beginners. David Cook has built several bots, each looking ok. I was planning a microcontroller robot, but i need some ideas as to what it should do. It is going to be real basic, like just begining, so please i need some ideas.

 

[Souper man]

Also, have you seen my spagetti robot? search for spagetti in the search box.

 

[Souper man]

Bill, how did you manage to run your motors on 6v and the circuit on 9v? I myself am trying this very method, and i wanted to get some advise from the experts

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Bill, how did you manage to run your motors on 6v and the circuit on 9v? I myself am trying this very method, and i wanted to get some advise from the experts

The circuit runs directly from 4 x AA NiMH, both motors and PIC. There are a couple of large caps 470uf @ 10v and a diode between the PIC from the motors.

 

[Souper man]

oh, then whats the 9v for?

 

[blueroomelectronics]

oh, then whats the 9v for?

What 9V? it's gone now.