In designing an effective drive system, not only must the drive train
be considered but also the wheels, tracks, or other propulsion devices
should be considered.
Wheels
Wheels being the most common to be used by teams come in the widest
variety, ranging from the standard eight inch Skywheel ® wheel
chair castor to the custom fabricated omni-wheels with as many as
32 individual rollers on a single wheel. However, the most common
wheel to be used is Innovation First's eight inch wheel(www.ifirobotics.com). The wheel
is similar in size and drive sprocket to the standard wheel, although
a more agressive tread has been added.
Tracks
Tracks or treads are one of the less common, but most considered
drive mechanisms. Tracks provide superior traction, climbing ability,
and interior design flexability. Even though they have several major
advantages, the key disadvantages are the weight that the track system
consumes, the possiblity of "throwing" a track, and the extra power
needed to move or turn the vehicle.
Other propulsion devices
There are many other possible propulsion and traction devices, so
numerous that it would be impossible to account for each one of them.
However, keep in mind that the object must be durable enough to withstand
the wear of a match, if not an entire competition. The object with
the best surface characteristics will often have a shortened durability.
