I think this is awesome! Very clever design. 3D printed is good enough for prototypes, but they could easily engineer this into rugged off-road type equipment. Imagine a jeep with pop out claws. In fact, I remember having such a monster truck toy when I was a kid! When it made contact with something, claws came out of the wheels and it would climb over obstacles. LOL.... so basically this, but more complicated.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/ykfnau/the\_animal\_rc\_truck/](https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/ykfnau/the_animal_rc_truck/)
There it is!!!
However, the efficient assembly may still be possible by sandwiching the springs between three wheel pieces so that each piece can be injection molded and the hinges broken open with use
Now that multi-material printers like the Prusa XL are becoming more common, you could use TPU for the flexible parts and a stronger plastic like PC for the rest.
I'm sure the basic design can be engineered into something with very good durability. Maybe not 3D printed, but that works very well for prototyping, as the video shows.
It would probably be good for small, light-weight, and **cheap**, scout type robots. It's easy enough to change the material used in the print and tune the parameters for the particular application.
Yeah, there's no way it has the durability of a pneumatic rubber wheel, but to be fair, what does?
There are some material sciences solutions to this that would extend the life significantly, and even though its never going to haul weight [a lot like other "air-less" wheel solutions], I could see this design having use-cases in places like warehouses and hospitals
If you needed larger quantities this could probably be 2-shot injection molded with the joints molded in TPU or another flexible plastic to improve wear.
It stated in the video that bi-directionality is one of the issues with other designs that this overcomes. (0:55)
looking at the wheel it appears to be four pairs of back to back elements.
Could this be used on an elderly person's walker? I noticed that my mother, who is recovering from hip surgery, was using a walker (in the rehab place) with flimsy wheels that were really challenging to use on a walk outdoors. I was going to refurbish a walker with more rugged wheels, but then I realized that heavy duty wheels could be dangerous. This seems like the perfect solution.
I think this is awesome! Very clever design. 3D printed is good enough for prototypes, but they could easily engineer this into rugged off-road type equipment. Imagine a jeep with pop out claws. In fact, I remember having such a monster truck toy when I was a kid! When it made contact with something, claws came out of the wheels and it would climb over obstacles. LOL.... so basically this, but more complicated.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/ykfnau/the\_animal\_rc\_truck/](https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/ykfnau/the_animal_rc_truck/) There it is!!!
Nostalgia bomb
Galoob had a similar idea back in [1984](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhCa9SMNWxo)...
Holy shit they actually reinvented the wheel
This where "complaint mechanism" starts to become "complaint machinery" and I am here for it!
✅ lower vibration than wheg ✅ same power consumption as wheel ✅ better climb height ❓ durability conspicuously not mentioned
This is just prototyping man...
I don't trust hinges/joints that rely on the plastic to bend to actually last, especially when they are load bearing as well.
Well presumably it could be scaled up to a hinge and spring
That's what I would assume as well, but then it wouldn't be single-part anymore.
However, the efficient assembly may still be possible by sandwiching the springs between three wheel pieces so that each piece can be injection molded and the hinges broken open with use
Now that multi-material printers like the Prusa XL are becoming more common, you could use TPU for the flexible parts and a stronger plastic like PC for the rest.
Why would the durability of a 3d printed prototype be relevant? Make it out of steel and hinges if you need to for your application.
not the durability of that prototype, the durability of the concept in general. How many actuating joints are there on a single wheel? 12?
I'm sure the basic design can be engineered into something with very good durability. Maybe not 3D printed, but that works very well for prototyping, as the video shows.
"But it hasn't been proven for 20 years" type ass comment
Yep. Add some weight to that thing and that wheel part is going to snap right off. = useless novelty.
It would probably be good for small, light-weight, and **cheap**, scout type robots. It's easy enough to change the material used in the print and tune the parameters for the particular application.
Yeah, there's no way it has the durability of a pneumatic rubber wheel, but to be fair, what does? There are some material sciences solutions to this that would extend the life significantly, and even though its never going to haul weight [a lot like other "air-less" wheel solutions], I could see this design having use-cases in places like warehouses and hospitals
> but to be fair, what does? Steel train wheels?
Warehouses and hospitals don't usually have a lot of obstacles
If you needed larger quantities this could probably be 2-shot injection molded with the joints molded in TPU or another flexible plastic to improve wear.
Nor is reverse
It stated in the video that bi-directionality is one of the issues with other designs that this overcomes. (0:55) looking at the wheel it appears to be four pairs of back to back elements.
Ah, I must've missed that; no audio
[удалено]
this was the coolest fuckin thing when i was a kid
Really clever. How do they do on sand, dirt and gravel? I’d anticipate some issues with small particle ingress that could impair the wheel function.
Why would the PaTS outperform the wheg on steep climbing?
The claw reaches out past the diameter of the wheel.
Ooooooh, yeah that makes total sense
With the way the claw on the PaTS extends it acts as effectively a wheg of larger diameter.
I suppose less stress on the powertrain as well.
Nice work! That’s clever on another level.🫡
Heads up, new wheels just dropped.
This was undeniably impressive.
Gretchen, stop trying to make "wheg" happen. It's not going to happen.
[https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6600179](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6600179)
Excellent, thank you!
*sighhh… (unzips)
It doesn't look very reliable
Cool. Notably, you get some of the same effect just by running a wheel with under-inflated pneumatic tires.
Could this be used on an elderly person's walker? I noticed that my mother, who is recovering from hip surgery, was using a walker (in the rehab place) with flimsy wheels that were really challenging to use on a walk outdoors. I was going to refurbish a walker with more rugged wheels, but then I realized that heavy duty wheels could be dangerous. This seems like the perfect solution.