Mars Rover Tank Treads Redesign

The goal of this project was to develop an all-terrain tread system capable of operating reliably on any surface while remaining highly durable. The previous year's tread system relied on a chain-and-sprocket design; however, testing showed that when operating on grass and carpet, lateral forces caused the chain to derail from the sprockets, leading to repeated failures.

I led the redesign of the tread system, developing a fully 3D-printed solution that replaces the chain with 4 mm tubing used as load-bearing connecting pins. I designed and fabricated a custom cutting jig to ensure consistent, repeatable production of precisely sized connecting pins, allowing the system to be easily assembled by the team. I validated the strength of the connecting pins through testing and confirmed they were capable of holding the printed treads together under load.

During system testing, I identified that lateral disengagement still occurred because side-to-side motion was only constrained at the top of the tread path, not at the bottom where lateral forces were most significant. In response, I redesigned the tread geometry to include integrated T-shaped features on every tread, which slot into a corresponding guide channel. This ensures that a T-feature is engaged at all times, constraining lateral motion along the entire tread path and eliminating the primary failure mode observed in earlier iterations. I applied generous chamfers and fillets to both the T-features and mating slots to ensure smooth engagement and reliable operation at high speeds.

The tread system operates in conjunction with a custom HVSS (Horizontal Volute Suspension System) incorporating springs, rollers, and bearings to improve terrain compliance and load distribution. Achieving a reliable final design required extensive prototyping, testing, and iteration, and I coordinated these efforts while working within a team environment. The final system represents a significant improvement in robustness and performance over the previous chain-based design.