Kupe Chassis Design

I decided that this robot needed to be large enough to allow for easy reconfiguration. It also needed to be sturdy with no flex. I dececide to use 40x20 aluminim extrusion for the frame, and use an acrylic base. I have not used extrusion before, it is accurate, robust and it can be cut using a circular saw. This enabled a very accurate frame to be constructed, and there are lots of custom made connectors that make it like a giant mechano set.

The Basic Frame

The frame is 600x400mm with a cross-brace to mount motors at the rear. This could easily become the front, or I could have two such braces to make it 4 wheel drive. This is discussed in more detail in Motors and Wheels.

Motor Mounting

The motors are quite long due to their planetary gearboxes and although they have sturdy brackets, I 3D printed additional supports.

September 2025