College of Engineering Unit:
The goal of this project was to redesign the suspension system of the Oregon State Robotics Club’s (OSURC’s) Mars Rover to achieve two main objectives. The first was to reduce the overall weight of the suspension to allow more weight for other aspects of the rover such as the arm and science mechanism. The second was to incorporate a way to prevent the chassis of the rover from tipping forward when the arm is in use. To solve these problems, the project team has implemented a solution through integrating carbon fiber into the suspension structure to reduce weight and adding a locking mechanism to the front bogies to prevent tipping while the arm is in use.
By utilizing the mechanical design process, a solution was created that functions well and fulfills the customer requirements. The resulting design of the suspension structure is shorter than the previous version, has a combination of carbon fiber and aluminum components, and relies on epoxy rather than fasteners or welding at most joints. The locking mechanism design features a mix of aluminum and 3D printed parts, a range of stable angles for each front bogie when locked, and is able to state on demand using a solenoid.
Project Communication Piece(s):
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
 Poster | 1.5 MB |
| Final Report | 19.32 MB |