Robot Drive Systems
Key Concepts to help you choose
Motors, Wheels and Gearboxes
Types of Drive Systems and Motors
Differential Drive Holomonic / Mecanum Turn Steer
Brushed DC Brushless Stepper
This presentation will focus on differential drive systems with brushed DC motors
Key Concepts
Power Learn More:
Efficiency https://curriculum.vexrobotics.com/curriculum.html
Torque
Coefficient of Friction
Motor Curves
Dead Band
Cogging
Friction and Drag
Calculating Power
Mechanical Power = Drag Force * Linear Speed
Mechanical Power = Torque * Angular Speed
Electrical Power = Voltage * Current
Hydraulic Power = Pressure * Flow Rate
Efficiency WASTED OUTPUT
Heat
INPUT Plant or
Volts * Amps Process
USEFUL OUTPUT
Torque * Angular
Speed
Useful Output Power
Efficiency =
Input Power
Input Power = Useful Output Power + Wasted Power Power is Conserved!
Torque is a Twisting Force
TORQUE = FORCE * DISTANCE
50 oz Force
100 oz Force
Motor Torque Example:
100 oz*in
100 oz*in = 100 oz * 1 in
1 in OR
2 in
100 oz*in = 50 oz * 2 in
Calculating Weight Distribution Move your battery around until the
center of mass is right above the
TORQUE = FORCE * DISTANCE wheels for Max pushing force!
Center of Mass is the location
4oz 6 oz 3 oz 1 oz
where all the Torques balance out
Sum of Torque = (4oz*1in) +
(6oz*3in) + (3oz*4in) + (1oz*8in) =
Battery
42 oz-in
Sum of Mass = 14 oz Wheel + Frame
Motor
Location of center of mass = 1in Sensor
Torque/Mass = 42/14 = 3 in 3in
3 in is right above the wheels! 4in
8in
Gearbox - Trading Speed for Torque
Ideal Gearbox
Input Speed / Ratio = Output Speed
Input Torque * Ratio = Output Torque
If gear ratio = 10, the output will have 10x
the torque and 1/10 the speed of the input.
Gearboxes are never ideal. Some power
will be lost as heat, maybe 10% to 40% is
lost.
Wheels - Convert Torque to Pushing Force
FORCE = TORQUE / DISTANCE
Distance = Wheel Radius
Torque = Output torque of gearbox
Weight
Coefficient of Friction
Why do wheels slip?
T=F*d F ≤ μs * N
T = Torque
d = Tire Radius
F = Pushing Force
μs = Tire Coefficient of Static Friction Static
N = normal force, weight on the tire Friction
Example:
1 kg robot, 2 wheels, ∅5cm Tire, 0.5 μ
Max Pushing Force per Tire = 0.5 * (½ * 1kg) = 0.25 kg
Torque at slip = 0.25 kg * (½ * 5 cm) = 0.63 kg*cm = 8.7 oz-in
Motor Curves
At a given Voltage, higher
Torque or “Load” on the
Motor will cause the
Speed to drop
Lowering the Voltage will
cause both Speed and
Torque to drop
Speed vs Torque is linear
for Brushed DC Motors
Motor Curves
At a given Voltage, higher No Load
Torque or “Load” on the Speed
Motor will cause the
Speed to drop Stall
Torque
Lowering the Voltage will
cause both Speed and
Torque to drop
Speed vs Torque is linear
for Brushed DC Motors
Motor Output Power
Speed * Torque = Output Power
0 Speed * Max Torque = 0 Power
Max Speed * 0 Torque = 0 Power
½ Speed * ½ Torque = Max Power
Motor Output Power
Speed * Torque = Output Power
If the voltage is cut in half,
the Max Power is one fourth
Motor Current
Stall
High Torque Low Speed
Current
Low Speed High Current
No Load
Current
Intermittent
Motor Current Continuous Danger
High Torque Low Speed
Low Speed High Current
High Current High Heat
Too Hot Dead Motor
Motor Manufacturer should
specify safe operating zones
Use a gearbox of appropriate
ratio to convert motor speed to
higher torque for the wheels
Motor Efficiency
Efficiency = Output / Input
Max Efficiency is typically
at 75-80% of Max Speed
Dead Band
Voltage vs Speed is Linear
At low voltages, motor torque is too
small to overcome static friction,
motor doesn’t turn.
Very low speeds may not be
possible.
Dead Bands can cause robot to
overshoot or undershoot when
attempting to drive to an exact
location or angle.
Cogging
Some motors have magnetic
poles that want to jump to
certain angles.
Controlling the motor’s angle to
a specific value may not be
possible with this kind of motor.
Cogging can cause robot to
overshoot or undershoot when
attempting to drive to an exact
location or angle.
Friction and Drag
Wheel deformation
Carpet/Floor deformation
Bearings
Gears
Caster or Skid
Selecting Components
Start with the Motor - How much Power?
Select a Wheel
Select a Gearbox
Hub Adapter
Put it Together!
Designing a Robot
Estimate Robot Weight = 1 kg, 2.2 pounds
Desired Top Speed = 1.3 meter/sec, 4 ft/s
Power = Speed * Drag Force
Estimating Drag Force
Typically between 5% to 50% of the robot’s weight
Wheels, Carpet, Casters, Bumps
Assume Drag Force is 25% of robot weight
Mechanical Power = 1.3 meter/sec * (25% * 1 kg) * 9.81 = 3.2 Watts
Assume efficiency of Drive Train (gearbox, bearings etc.) is 60%
Motor Output Power = Mechanical Power / Efficiency = 3.2 W / 60% = 5.3 W
2 Motors, each motor provides half the power, or 2.6 W per motor is required
How Much Power does the Motor provide?
Don’t run a motor at Max Power all the time, better to run it in the safe
zone at 80% Max Speed and 20% Max Torque.
Micro Motor MP 6V: (80% * 730 RPM) * (20% * 8 oz-in) = 0.7W
20D 12V Motor: (80% * 570 RPM) * (20% * 26 oz-in) = 1.7W
25D 12V MP Motor: (80% * 7,800 RPM) * (20% * 2.7 oz-in) = 2.4W
25D 12V HP Motor: (80% * 10,200 RPM) * (20% * 5.5 oz-in) = 6.6W
37D Motor: (80% * 11,000 RPM) * (20% * 5 oz-in) = 6.5W
Faulhaber 2342S012: (80% * 8,100 RPM) * (20% * 11.3 oz-in) = 10.8W
Reverse Engineering the 3pi Robot
Robot Weight = 7 ounces, centered on the wheels
Motors = Micro Metal Gearmotor 6V MP w/ 30:1 Gearbox
Stall Torque = 8 oz-in
Max Speed = 730 RPM
Wheel Diameter = 34mm, 1.34 in
Max Robot Speed = Wheel Circumference * Wheel Speed
= (3.14 * 0.034m) * (730 RPM / 60) = 1.3 m/s = 4.2 ft/s
Max Push Force = Torque / Wheel Radius * Num Motors
= (8 oz-in) / (½ * 1.34in) * 2 = 12 oz
Is 12 oz of push force reasonable for a 7oz robot? This would require μs of 1.7
Assume, μs is only 1.2, so the maximum useful torque per motor is
T = F * d = (μs * N) * d = 1.2 * (½ * 7oz) * (½ * 1.34) in = 2.8 oz-in
