Friday, July 15, 2011

The Suction...mobile...thingy

Now that I finally have a job I can start working on all of the project ideas backed up in my brain/computer. The first one that I am actually going to finish if it kills me is my radio controlled suction vehicle thingy. I have no idea what to call it, but it's basically a way cooler version of this. And in case you don't know what that thing is, it's a vehicle that suctions itself to walls and ceilings so that you can drive around on them. Anyways here's a not-so-beautiful screenshot of the CAD model I drew up on my new favorite 3D program, Autodesk 123D.

Don't judge me.

I'd like to take a moment to just say that when I come up with a design idea knowing that I am going to actually buy parts and build it, my CAD models usually don't look so great. I just try to get the general idea down so I know everything...fits. Onwards.

The two giant bricks on each side are two 2S 800mah Lipos that I'm going to wire together to make a 4S Lipo saddle-pack configuration, and they will power the ducted fan which is the giant round thing in the center of the chassis. Then that little brick in the back is a 3S 250mah Lipo battery, although I refer to it as the cutest thing ever. Seriously, look at it. The cutest thing ever will power all four gearmotors, as they are tiny and don't draw much current. The main concern, as I'm sure you can tell, is making sure that ducted fan is ripping as much balls as possible.

The wheels are these, which are attached to these, which are clamped onto the 2mm-thick carbon fiber chassis by these. Well that was easy to explain.

So that's the basic construction of the whole vehicle right there. Besides everything I just explained there's just a few more electronic components that I'll mount in the front of the vehicle and that's it! I don't have too many huge awesome tools to make parts with which is why I made an effort to put this whole project together with readily available parts. I only have a dremel and a drill press right now, although come Fall semester I'll have the whole UCF machine shop at my disposal, which will be a dream come true.

Once I get all my packages in the mail I'll post again with more pictures of the build process.

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