How they steer › 01 OF 04
TracksOne motor a track
One motor per track. Both forward: straight on; one slower: a curve; one forward and one back: a spin on the spot.
- 1 motor per track
- Spins on the spot
- 6 machines
- 2 boards today
No. 01 · Building:bit tank
How it steers
A tracked machine has nothing that steers: it turns by driving its two tracks at different speeds. Push the phone's stick forward and both tracks run at the same speed; push it sideways as well and the inner track slows down, the more the further you push. Sideways alone runs the tracks against each other, and the machine turns on the spot.
Tracks lie on the ground along their whole length, so they grip where wheels slip, on a carpet as on a ramp.
The machines
Wukong tank with two DC motors
Wonder Building Kit chassis, Geekservo 2 kg motors on M1 and M2.
3D model and steps →
Wukong tank with two servos
The mecanum racer's body, 360° servos on S0 and S1.
3D model and steps →
Wukong tank with four servos
The mecanum racer on tracks: four 360° servos, two on each track.
3D model and steps →
Wukong tank with four servos, geared 2:1
Each servo turns its track through a 16- and an 8-tooth gear: twice the speed, half the pull. Its program is the four-servo tank's with every servo at -1.
3D model and steps →
Pit board: boards and programs
| Board | Motors | Program for the phone | Wiring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yahboom Building:bit | two motor modules in the board's motor sockets | Yahboom BuildingBit Tank (Bluetooth) | drawing |
| ElecFreaks Wukong | 2 DC motors: M1 left, M2 right | Wukong Tank, 2 DC Motors (Bluetooth) | drawing |
| ElecFreaks Wukong | 2 servos: S0 left, S1 right | Wukong Tank, 2 Servos (Bluetooth) | drawing |
| ElecFreaks Wukong | 4 servos: S0 left front, S1 left rear, S2 right front, S3 right rear | Wukong Tank, 4 Servos (Bluetooth) | drawing |
| ElecFreaks Wukong | 4 servos geared 2:1: the same ports, LEFT_FRONT, LEFT_REAR, RIGHT_FRONT and RIGHT_REAR at -1 | Wukong Tank, 4 Servos (Bluetooth) | drawing |
| LEGO Technic Hub, SPIKE Prime hub, BuWizz 3.0 Pro | next a motor per track, on two ports | All the boards | |
Drive and test
- Phone joystick: up drives, up and sideways curves, sideways alone spins on the spot.
- Test motors (on the phone, the tank lifted): each motor turns its track forward, then back, with its number on the display. A track that runs back first: change that side's setting at the top of the program (LEFT or RIGHT; the four-servo tank has one per servo).
- Yahboom's tank: SPEED (up to 255), SLOW and CURVE at the top of its program.