We finally took delivery of our omni-wheels. This will definitely propel our project into motion as it is one of the last outstanding pieces still being manufactured. Here are some picture of an assembled Omni-wheel.
Since deciding to create the sphere using a composite, choosing Carbon Fiber as the base shape for our sphere was a no brainer. The material is highly rigid if laid correctly, and also very light weight. An added benefit can be seen in the pictures below in that the twill weave we procured fits very snugly into the sphere mold we've made, making it a lot easier for us to apply the resin.
Here are the ball transfers that will be bearing most of the mass of the bike. They have recirculating bearings inside for smoother movement, and to reduce noise.
We have been doing quite a bit of bench testing, and figuring out how to interface the Delta Tau cards with the Animatics motors. Most of the interfaces are done, with only the control coe left to test.
With a few hiccups along the road, we were finally able to take the prototype frame back to home school with us. The 304 SS tubing really shines after all the polishing/finishing work Wolfe Engineering put into it. We want to give a big thank you to the guys at Wolfe Engineering for believing and supporting us in our project.
After retrofitting a broken CNC with new motors and software here at school, we were able to run some of our programs. After a few tries, the results have been quite satisfactory. Here's one of the more complicated parts, the steering plate.
SKF really came through for the team and delivered all the ball bearings, and thrust bearings that we would need for the project, here are some pictures that we took.
The look of the bike has been finalized, with all of the brackets, motors, and fairings displayed. The final bike is expected to be very similar in appearance with the exception of the color scheme, which is still open for modification.
SDS attends the ASME competitions, in two categories, Poster and Oral Presentation. This competition is a chance to acknowledge our sponsors, for all of their contributions in making the Spherical Drive System a reality. The determination of the team members to adequately represent the Team and our sponsors landed SDS in first place on the Oral Presentation, with an extra award for best technical...