Summary

For this project, we designed a rover for use in a competition. Our analysis showed that a variable transmission would give us the best performance, so I worked on that part of the project. The design uses a 3D-printed TPU belt coated with a rubber coating allowing for a stiff belt with a good grip on the pulleys. The primary pulley is actuated using a servo motor that pushes it in and out through a bearing, and the secondary uses a spring to maintain tension.

This design resulted in a transmission that worked perfectly for what we needed. Improper storage damaged the belt and did not work for the competition, so the video below is the only example of it working.

Sadly due to covid, the rover was thrown out by the mech department, so I could not repair the belt and give it the run it deserved.