Six-Wheel Drive Train
A complete drop-center drive train on a floor-mounted plinth, wheels still carrying the rubber scrubbed off at a district event.
A solved problem, still worth studying
Six wheels, the middle pair dropped slightly lower than the rest: a geometry that lets a heavy robot turn without dragging. It is one of the most copied layouts in competition robotics, and one of the least explained.
Because the drive train is displayed without a superstructure, you can see how much of the design exists purely to keep four wheels on the floor at all times.
The tires are the artifact
The tread on the front pair is worn almost flat on the outside edge, which tells you this robot turned hard and often in the same direction. The museum has deliberately not replaced the wheels: new tread would make it look like a kit rather than a season.
More from this program
Chassis Study No. 4
A bare aluminum chassis plate kept unfinished on purpose, so visitors can read the drilling pattern, the countersinks, and every mistake in the metal.
Read the entryThe Wiring Wall
A harness pulled from a retired competition robot, mounted flat so the zip ties, strain relief, and last-minute splices stay visible.
Read the entryCAD Archive Terminal
A reading room for donated CAD files and design reviews, browsable online so every revision stays where a student can open it.
Read the entry