Week of 2/9

Link to test video: https://docs.google.com/videos/d/160aknYAZuPk-UEUWx3QdZ4mF4qFu6cr8ACexe5f6A34/edit?usp=sharing

At the very beginning of the week, I was able to completely finish 3d printing all of the remaining treads with the help of Mr. L who printed them in the mornings before shop time. After this was complete, I took the treads and attached them all onto the rover. Now it was time to test the rover again with all of the fully complete treads. After setting of the controls, I began testing, however it was not performing the way I wanted, when I checked the wheels, I realized the 3 of them were not working properly. The set screws that I had attached to lock the wheels to the motors had been stripped an could not longer provide support making them no longer spin properly.

After seeing this I immediately re-printed the wheels that were broken. The following day, I attached new set screws to the new motors and locked them into place. After ensuring they were securely attached, I set up my controller once again an built an obstacle. Immediately after testing I realized how amazing this small change improved the rover. The rover easily climbed over the obstacle of laptops, so I decided to make it even steeper. After adding on even more laptops on top, I was easily 1.25-1.5 times the wheel diameter of the rover, however after driving it forward it was still able to overcome the even taller obstacle.

I am really happy with how my rover is coming along and I do not think there is any more critical changes I am going to make to it. On Thursday, I prepared a PDF to cut out new suspension legs with the water jet in aluminum. Once I glue these to the rover, it will be both rigid and strong. I hope to try more tests with the rover in the coming weeks, especially over varied terrain, however, there is lots of snow on the ground outside. For the time being, I will keep my efforts exclusive to the indoors until there is more ground outside available to test the rover.