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Ideas for mobile platform Padu 10-21-2005
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Posted by Padu on October 21, 2005, 4:55 pm
It's Friday, nobody is really working right? So let's warm up this ng a bit.


I just got the news that my budget for a new mobile platform was approved
(yeeeey), so I need to start worrying about chosing one very soon. The
project is to create agile rovers that can accomplish fully autonomous
missions on a 20 miles range at speeds up to 20mph. It should be smaller
than an ATV but bigger (and more rugged) than an R/C car. It must idle well
(in case of gas engine). It must have built in reversal and automatic
transmission (in case there is more than one speed forward). Low cost (less
than $3000). Finally, it must be able to overcome rough terrain (dirt roads,
small rocks, grass, grades, whatever it is possible to do with an ATV).

I already have a few ideas in my mind, please critique mine or suggest
novel:

- Custom build gas platform: using a small 4-stroke engine (1 to 9HP). Pros:
we can build exactly what we need. Cons: takes too long to build, may have
lots of flaws as I'm no mechanical engineer
- Small ATV. Pros: it's ready. Cons: Too big and cumbersome to carry around,
barely fits the budget of $3000
- This little babe: http://www.theultimategolfcart.com/ . Pros: perfect size,
looks nice (humnn, shouldn't be a reason for robotics right ;-) ), electric
allows us to demonstrate indoors. Cons: too heavy (220 pounds!), I'm not
sure a 1000W motor is strong enough for this app.


I'm leaning towards the last one, but any suggestion is welcome.


Cheers

Padu



Posted by blueeyedpop on October 22, 2005, 11:23 am
The golf cart runs off SLA batteries, that is prolly a good bit of mass
there. It is 3 wheeled, and therefore less stable. It is not intended for
slopes beyond 20 degrees, on grass.

Building a platform capable of 20 mph is going to cost a lot more than 3K.

How about a youth ATV? like a Raptor 50 from Yamaha?
Dimensions
L x W x H 60.5" x 32.5" x 36"
Seat Height 24.3"
Wheelbase 40.6"
Ground Clearance 3.0"
Fuel Capacity 1.8 Gallons
Dry Weight 237 Lbs.

Put an electric motor on there with a clutch for reverse.






> It's Friday, nobody is really working right? So let's warm up this ng a
bit.
> I just got the news that my budget for a new mobile platform was approved
> (yeeeey), so I need to start worrying about chosing one very soon. The
> project is to create agile rovers that can accomplish fully autonomous
> missions on a 20 miles range at speeds up to 20mph. It should be smaller
> than an ATV but bigger (and more rugged) than an R/C car. It must idle
well
> (in case of gas engine). It must have built in reversal and automatic
> transmission (in case there is more than one speed forward). Low cost
(less
> than $3000). Finally, it must be able to overcome rough terrain (dirt
roads,
> small rocks, grass, grades, whatever it is possible to do with an ATV).
> I already have a few ideas in my mind, please critique mine or suggest
> novel:
> - Custom build gas platform: using a small 4-stroke engine (1 to 9HP).
Pros:
> we can build exactly what we need. Cons: takes too long to build, may have
> lots of flaws as I'm no mechanical engineer
> - Small ATV. Pros: it's ready. Cons: Too big and cumbersome to carry
around,
> barely fits the budget of $3000
> - This little babe: http://www.theultimategolfcart.com/ . Pros: perfect
size,
> looks nice (humnn, shouldn't be a reason for robotics right ;-) ),
electric
> allows us to demonstrate indoors. Cons: too heavy (220 pounds!), I'm not
> sure a 1000W motor is strong enough for this app.
> I'm leaning towards the last one, but any suggestion is welcome.
> Cheers
> Padu



Posted by Padu on October 24, 2005, 2:01 pm
"blueeyedpop" wrote in message
> The golf cart runs off SLA batteries, that is prolly a good bit of mass
> there. It is 3 wheeled, and therefore less stable. It is not intended for
> slopes beyond 20 degrees, on grass.
> Building a platform capable of 20 mph is going to cost a lot more than 3K.
> How about a youth ATV? like a Raptor 50 from Yamaha?
> Dimensions
> L x W x H 60.5" x 32.5" x 36"
> Seat Height 24.3"
> Wheelbase 40.6"
> Ground Clearance 3.0"
> Fuel Capacity 1.8 Gallons
> Dry Weight 237 Lbs.
> Put an electric motor on there with a clutch for reverse.


I've been thinking about that golf cart and day by day it seems a weaker
option... if they only had a reseller here in San Diego that I could see and
test it before I buy...

On the kid's ATV side, I had put some thoughts too. The 50 or 80cc seem
perfect, but they don't have reverse, I'm not sure what you mean by putting
an electric motor for reverse. The Grizzly 125 is the only I could find with
built in reverse. I haven't looked at other offstream brands, so my answer
may be there...

Cheers

Padu



Posted by blueeyedpop on October 24, 2005, 9:01 pm
I think I was on Crack perhaps, assuming there would be a chain that you
could tsndem a motor to.

Mike
> "blueeyedpop" wrote in message
> > The golf cart runs off SLA batteries, that is prolly a good bit of mass
> > there. It is 3 wheeled, and therefore less stable. It is not intended
for
> > slopes beyond 20 degrees, on grass.
> > Building a platform capable of 20 mph is going to cost a lot more than
3K.
> > How about a youth ATV? like a Raptor 50 from Yamaha?
> > Dimensions
> > L x W x H 60.5" x 32.5" x 36"
> > Seat Height 24.3"
> > Wheelbase 40.6"
> > Ground Clearance 3.0"
> > Fuel Capacity 1.8 Gallons
> > Dry Weight 237 Lbs.
> > Put an electric motor on there with a clutch for reverse.
> I've been thinking about that golf cart and day by day it seems a weaker
> option... if they only had a reseller here in San Diego that I could see
and
> test it before I buy...
> On the kid's ATV side, I had put some thoughts too. The 50 or 80cc seem
> perfect, but they don't have reverse, I'm not sure what you mean by
putting
> an electric motor for reverse. The Grizzly 125 is the only I could find
with
> built in reverse. I haven't looked at other offstream brands, so my answer
> may be there...
> Cheers
> Padu



Posted by Si Ballenger on October 22, 2005, 12:15 pm
wrote:

>It's Friday, nobody is really working right? So let's warm up this ng a bit.
>I just got the news that my budget for a new mobile platform was approved
>(yeeeey), so I need to start worrying about chosing one very soon. The
>project is to create agile rovers that can accomplish fully autonomous
>missions on a 20 miles range at speeds up to 20mph. It should be smaller
>than an ATV but bigger (and more rugged) than an R/C car. It must idle well
>(in case of gas engine). It must have built in reversal and automatic
>transmission (in case there is more than one speed forward). Low cost (less
>than $3000). Finally, it must be able to overcome rough terrain (dirt roads,
>small rocks, grass, grades, whatever it is possible to do with an ATV).
>I already have a few ideas in my mind, please critique mine or suggest
>novel:
>- Custom build gas platform: using a small 4-stroke engine (1 to 9HP). Pros:
>we can build exactly what we need. Cons: takes too long to build, may have
>lots of flaws as I'm no mechanical engineer
>- Small ATV. Pros: it's ready. Cons: Too big and cumbersome to carry around,
>barely fits the budget of $3000
>- This little babe: http://www.theultimategolfcart.com/ . Pros: perfect size,
>looks nice (humnn, shouldn't be a reason for robotics right ;-) ), electric
>allows us to demonstrate indoors. Cons: too heavy (220 pounds!), I'm not
>sure a 1000W motor is strong enough for this app.
>I'm leaning towards the last one, but any suggestion is welcome.

I think I've mentioned this before in another post, but the rear
engined snapper lawn mowers might be a good platform to try. If
your project is a "not for profit" venture, you might be able to
get a local lawn mower dealer to sponser an old used one for free
(maybe for a little "NASCAR" type of advertising for the dealer
on it). Otherwise a used one in decent shape might be had in the
$500 range in the want ads. I've got one I've had for ~15 years
and it is *rugged* and dead simple in operation. It hauls me (210
lbs) in and out of the ditch next to the main road without
problems. The belt system that drives the blade would be very
simple to use to drive an alternator and/or hydraulic pump to
support onboard actuators. Foward-neutral-reverse and go-clutch
in-stop is all simple push/pull actuation. Snappers are popular
in the south, but not sure about the rest of the country. If you
have a dealer near you, go buy and take a test ride around the
shop to see how they work.

http://www.snapper.com/rear_engine_riders.html


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