Hello everyone,
With my new joystick and controller / software add-on + expanse pcb finally opened the door for me to work on a project I’ve been wanting to do for a long time.
Crawler attachment for BR2.
This is what I got so far:
Planning on using 4 M200 motors. adding a vacuum option etc.
I need to sit on it for a week or so before I put it in production.
I’ll update once I got it put together.
Cheers,
E.
@etienne - I’m excited to see this! Do you have a source for the tracks and drive motors or will you build that yourself?
Hi Rusty,
20:1 worm drive machined specifically for this out of delrin. Then I am using a standard conveyor chain with machined rubber attachment.
Chain will be stainless, gear Delrin, everything else will be nylon or hdpe.
Later down the road I want to be able to replace the rubber attachments with magnetic attachments to see if it will crawl on the side of a ship but that is farther down the road. (and also not compatible with present motors which can’t run dry)
Until your M200 comes back I am getting custom made motors which are more expensive but very similar.
My new HCU will have a “Crawler” Mode which will shift the 4 axial thruster outputs to the 4 crawler motors. (actually this will be customizable by the user). Using my expanse PCB+ software to control the crawler.
Things like forward trim will come very handy.
Only one 6 pin connector will be used for the crawler skid. Combined with a drop in slot and latch pins will make for a very rapid integration.
Cheers,
E.
Suspension? A tilting-bogey wheel assembly would conform to uneven terrain/ surfaces better than a rigid track.
Like the Howe & Howe Ripsaw tracked vehicle.
That is definitely a cool design but I want to keep mine as minimalist as possible and easy to repair.
Also, it is intended to be used underwater for pipeline, tank cleaning etc where terrain is smooth.
The BR2 can always take over if the terrain is too rough for some reason.
Beautiful work! I see a crawler with cavitation cleaning system soon on its platform; D 
Thank you Bruno. The nozzle would need to be articulate I think. not many cheap underwater actuators though. But the idea is the ROV sits on the back of the crawler to allow tooling in the front.
Maybe able to mount a CNC rail with a nozzle and build a special gearbox for the M200.
@rjehangir Any idea when the M200 will become available again?
Beautiful! I have been thinking about something similar for some time using 4 x M200 motors as well but wasn’t sure I could get the gearing right. I would be keen to see this happen so if you get stuck for motors, I have 4 reasonably good M200s you can have cheap if you want them.
cheers
John
Hi John,
I need the heavy duty M200 but the ones that BR released had issues so I got my own made with same dimensions until BR releases the M200 again.
Cheeers,
E.
Very Nice work!!
I am currently considering to buy a BR2 with heavy upgrade. My plan was to install Tracks under IT like you have done as well as brushes for removing light conterminations under medium sized service boats. I have a company where a solution like this would be very useful.
Are you planning to sell Your Solution? I am very interested to buy one of your ads on Package If the Price / quality is right for the purpose.
The solution I started thinking about seemed to be easy enough (tracks / Gear motors etc) but I am not sure how the software / stability Control will react, when I will try to move the ROV on the hull using the tracks.? Is heavy software modification needed as well? I am also curius wether the BR2 will Stick to the hull, Only using vertcal thrusters, or is an adfitional vacuum system needed as well…?
BR
Sindre
Hello Sindre,
My company is Delta ROV (www.deltarov.com) I specialize in making add-on for BR2.
My only purpose in building a crawler system is to sell it.
Initially I want to build the track with rubber feet. but the idea is to swap the feet out with magnetic feet for sticking on steel hulls. A lot of testing will be needed to be done for this. So it will be done on phase 2.
Phase one is making a frame and test it. I’ll see later about making add-ons.
Cheers,
E.
After more thoughts on this project with feedback from several interested parties. I realized I needed something that could work outside the water so M200 is out.
I put my head together with my mate @SoSub and we designed a gearbox with motor inside:
This gearbox is a bit bulky so I need to re-design the crawler assembly.
Before I do this, I will need to validate the design ensuring it doesn’t leak etc. I am waiting on the motors to ensure my housing is good.
No choice in the matter, I need it to be oil compensated if it will work subsea. I guess the advantage is that it should be usable in extreme depths…
Furthermore, I am sure people may have use for an underwater torque motor.
Being that I needed a comp and they are expensive and not fit for my purpose, I designed my own compensator assembly as well. This will also work for my upcoming ROV design.
I designed this one very small, about 31ml. I will also be able to double its capacity by adding a rolling diaphragm on the other side…
This is going to add more time to the design but I am sure it will be worth it.
Cheers,
E.
Hi @etienne
I was wondering how this project is going for you?
I’m also in the search for something similar that you are making.
I’m in a need for a lightweight crawler with two or four wheels to use on walls under water, and my first idea was to use the electronics from a blueRov2 to control one or two sets of wheels.
Basically I’m not depentent to be able to fly the crawler as an ROV as I will mange to install it to the wall by hand.
If you have a ready to use product I’m interested to have a look at the details. Please give me a shout.
What’s the update with your motors and design Etienne?
Hi Roger,
The project got put on ice because the client pulled out.
That said I built several gearboxes since then, one of them I am using as a tilt system on my ALON ROV.
Cheers,
E.
OK thanks well we have several possible projects and looking at flooded internal pipe inspections and some de-flooded hence crawler. When could you have design and build date available with costs?
@etienne Very cool! I hope you can make this because I want to see it in real life. Why did you choose to use a rectangular versus cylindrical enclosure on the bottom?
Thanks
Me too, it’s the third time someone asks me to design this. It’s been a bit frustrating really…
The orange block is buoyancy. Behind it is a rectangle oil filled junction box.
Motors are controlled with pwm. They use your ESC.
I have just started to work on a crawler project. This crawler will not be piggybacked onto a ROV, so my question is: Will QGC be the right software to control a tracked vehicle ?
