05/08/2022
I had a go at making my own tyres today, using some silicone we had left over from uni.
This robot is called WideWOW (to fit the 4WOW naming theme, making this Wide Wheeled Ouch Wagon) and was designed as a test inspired by some design cues from Harry Makes Things.
The original plan was to use off-the-shelf tyres or o-rings to make a nice wide wheel, but on a whim I thought I’d give this a go. 10 minutes in Fusion 360 to create a mould to go around my wheels, a couple of hours printing while I was out to dinner and some silicone pouring later, the robot has traction!
The mould separates in two and locks around an N20 gearbox that holds the wheel in place. Channels on the wheel and small vents at the top help the silicone hold itself to the hub and prevent air bubbles.
I applied the silicone to the mould first with a brush and dripped some excess into the bottom of the mould, then pushed the wheel hub into the mould, locking it to the motor output shaft at the bottom. This seemed to work well, however was quite messy. In future I’ll see how well using a syringe works to fill in the space between the hib and mould.
I’m so happy with the result and am considering doing more of this for my future builds (also I love the colour). I used about 10g of silicone each side, but that was enough to have lots left over after each pour. I think I can get between 100-120 wheels per 1kg pot.
