3 - Electronics Housing
Underneath the plastic truck body are four body mount posts that span an area of about 9.5 x 4.75 square inches. This was more than enough real estate for our ArduRover electronics. Naudin's blog shows his rover with a flat platform made of corrugated plastic, and electronics placed on top. We measured out something similar with foam board. Surprisingly, the mount posts and foam board can bear a considerable amount of weight.
We spent some time playing with the trucks in their out-of-the-box configuration. They can move very quickly, and they can survive a good tumble. But, it would be a shame to crush our electronics after taking a spill. So we decided to find something much more protective than the foam board.
Previous SparkFun competition robots seemed to have customized enclosures or have their electronics placed under the stock body. Some kept the electronics exposed entirely! Looking back at the 2011 AVC gallery we came across this robot which had several Ziplock plastic containers stacked onto one another.
Previous SparkFun competition robots seemed to have customized enclosures or have their electronics placed under the stock body. Some kept the electronics exposed entirely! Looking back at the 2011 AVC gallery we came across this robot which had several Ziplock plastic containers stacked onto one another.
Stacking the containers might be too unstable for our chassis, but the general idea makes sense. The plastic containers are built to be durable; they're fairly rigid; and they can be customized without building something from scratch. We looked for something that could be secured to the mount posts and could also take a beating. The Ultra-Seal Plastic Container by Sterilite fit the bill.
This is the best $7 we spent on the robot. It has survived dog attacks, failed ramp jumps, rollovers; you name it. Once the lid is snapped on, everything inside is secured. It's freezer safe, dishwasher safe, and microwave safe. Imagine the possibilities for future robot projects! :-)
In all seriousness though, the sturdy chassis and the sturdy electronics housing make a great pair.
In all seriousness though, the sturdy chassis and the sturdy electronics housing make a great pair.
To prepare the plastic container for electronics, we had to shave off some plastic and drill a few holes: four 5mm holes for the mount posts and two 12mm holes for the ESC and steering servo connectors. Fortunately, we had a drill press between the four of us. If you don't have a drill press, a Dremel tool can do the job. See the guide below to get started.
plastic-container-prep-guide.pdf | |
File Size: | 1398 kb |
File Type: |
After drilling, our enclosure resembled the following (as seen from the bottom). The front side is towards the right.
Last Update: 9 December 2013