Design
The original idea was born in a ugly day meanwhile I was writing my Ph.D. thesis. Thinking a new evolution starting from my latest robot Dude. The idea of this new robot was completely different from all other robots, making something able to explore outdoor environments and don’t use wheels, but travelling with tracks.
First sketch
Yes, there is another sketch direct on CAD, but the tracks used for this design was not enough for a outdoor and this CAD was quickly abandoned
Panther sketch
The first real sketch was a robot looks like a Jeep with track.
the shape was not enough and I start to rounding and shaping making a look more futuristic and similar a race car.
Panther 3D CAD
From sketch to a real 3D model, the step is huge and many tests I made many experiments to be possible realize a real track using in particular plexiglass and not aluminum like all robots with a track and size like Panther.
The new shape was significantly better compare the first version, and after long work I start to obtain the look drawn on my sketch
Track design
The first idea of the Panther tracks was born looking this weird segway found online. The tracks profile was amazing and my idea was to re-engineering using different materials, components and payload.
This work was really hard with my knowledge really poor in mechanics. I am a control theory engineer, and my background is different compare a mechanical engineer, but armed of willpower I start step by step to design on cad the track.
Meanwhile I was working on my CAD the first components was coming, in particular the track, really huge compare the other track I have seen from commercial robots. This track was the reference to complete the second design step and moving forward to complete all parts.
Same story for the damper, made for RC cars, but perfect for the robot! Simple and nice, the only issue was the spring, to weak to support the payload from the robot.
Finally after a long work, the real track was appearing on my CAD, and with all components available and with a dimension compatible with the size of the robot!
Thi is the final cad of the Panther track
Upgrades on Panther
In this picture the last update on Panther, adding a lidar and reshaping the robot with new motors
