Bogie Runt Rover - What can we do with it?

Using Arduino Motors, Mechanics, Power and CNC
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Bogie Runt Rover.PNG
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I am considering building the above. It has 6 motors that I believe can be controlled independently.
Generally, we consider movements like forward, backward, right turn and left turn.
These can be controlled with 4 motors.
What all can we do with the bogie that has 6 motors?

I plan to control this with an Arduino Uno.

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I'd guess that you'll be doing the same things as you would with four powered wheels. I think that the six wheel thing is a nod to the Martian rover designs and will give greater capability over rough/rocky terrain.

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Hi,
The real rovers that that platform is based on can also steer each individual motor/wheel.

You should be able to do "skid steer" type turns.

Those motors are the hobby plastic geared type, I'm not sure how much mass they can support or how rugged they are.
picture-of-bogie-kit-individual-parts-300px__47209.1593449026

I have one of these that I NRF24,Nano remote controlled years ago.

Robot05-01
Robot05-011000×1000 122 KB

But it has a front roller.

Tom... :smiley: :+1: :coffee: :australia:

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Thanks @wildbill.
With two wheels

  • forward (same positive voltage applied to both wheels)
  • reverse (same negative voltage applied to both wheels)
  • right forward (more positive voltage to the right wheel and less or zero voltage to the left wheel)

If we have six wheels

  • Do we provide the same voltage to all three wheels on the right hand side and same voltage to all three wheel on the left hand side?

So, from a control perspective, it is as if there are two motors only. Is my assumption correct?

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Thanks @TomGeorge - I understand that we do not have steering capability on each of the 6 wheels like the real rovers. But with 6 motors instead of 2 or 4, are there additional things we can do that we cannot do with 2 motors?

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Hi,

Yes control all three wheels on one side together, and all three wheels on the other side together.
I'm not sure how steering by differentially controlling the left speed and right speed would go with 6 contact surfaces.
It would cause some skidding and tangential forces in the robot wheels because you will be dragging some of the wheels sideways when you do a turn.

Tom.... :smiley: :+1: :coffee: :australia:

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Thanks @TomGeorge. That makes sense.
It could very well be made with just one wheel on each side being driven and two wheels on each side rotating freely with no drive.

Do you foresee any problems if we built it that way?

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Hi,
You will still have wheels dragging when you turn, those motors have gearboxes on each, they will not freewheel if not powered.

The design will make a great Mars Rover model that moves backward and forward and to some degree turns but only on a very loose sandy or non solid surface.

Tom... :smiley: :+1: :coffee: :australia:

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I agree @TomGeorge about the drag, if we keep the motors. I was considering removing the motors on 4 of the wheels. Thanks for all your inputs

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