The following few images show the RAT(Rough And Tumble) robot. These parts are designed for extremely cheap mass production of a mobile robot. Not pictured in these frames are the tractor tread linkages motors & controllers. This project is not 'really' on the shelf, it's just awaiting the finishing work on my mold machine. The idea here is to make a frame robust enough to run around outside on grass, up and over curbs, rocks & grass. Additionally, I need to make it interface to standard technologies used by amature roboticists, like stepper motors & DC servos as well as a number of differing controlers like Bot-Boards and MRM's.
Parts:
Body Part:	Encoder Mount:	Front Wheel Mount:	Motor Hanger:
What you may or may not see when you look at these parts is the incredible amount of work that goes into the manufacturability of the part itself. Consideration of sliders in the mold, external sharp corners, draft, extraction/ejection and mold complexity are of utmost importance when designing parts like these. Additionaly, considerations of part volume, injection pressure, sink and strength all play a role. The one nice part out of all of this is that the volumes (compared to full production molding) are low and as such not as much emphasis is placed on reducing cycle time.
Wheel:	Aft Wheel Mount:	Alt Wheel:
Assembly:
Skeleton:		Assembly:	Wheel Closeup:
There are several parts that have yet to be desinged and included in this model. Key components include tractor tread linkages and link pins, battery hangers, and PCB mount hard-points.