Introduction: 3D Body for Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle
This small chassis was made to use with the nRover board that I designed, but it's possible to use with Arduino Uno because both boards have the same size and fixation holes.
The main idea was to make a chassis multipurpose, to built a line follower, unmanned ground or vehicle to avoided obstacle with infrared sensors, finally a small chassis to learning robotics with cheap and easy to find components in an electronic store.
The base of the project was the Tamiya 70168 Double Gearbox and tires, bought for another project.
The first chassis designed was too flat and lame so I decided to put a small 8X2 LCD display to look as a small truck and to shows some information like temperature, battery condition and others information.
Step 1: Parts
(1) Tamiya 70168 double gearbox.
(4) Tamiya Educational Kit Off-Road Tires 1 pair (70096).
(1) 4 AA Battery Holder .
(1) LCD 8x2 Module LCM Blue 5V For Arduino (optional).
(1) HC-05 6 Pin Wireless Bluetooth RF Transceiver Module (optional).
(1) 5-35V DC-DC Step UP Adapter Booster.
(1) nRover board or Arduino with motor shield.
(3) TCRT5000 Reflective Photoelectric Switch Infrared Optical Sensor (optional)
Step 2: The Chassis - Top
On the top of the chassis has the support for the 8x2 LCD display, nRover board or Arduino board, the step-up boost converter, space for wiring and one hole for a push button, besides the holes for fixation.
Step 3: The Chassis - Bottom
On the bottom part of chassis, has three supports for the Tcrt5000 sensors (two in front, one behind), support for tires, gearbox motors, and battery holder.
There is one space for a led on the front of chassis and a support for a custom line follower board, on the back, a space for a power connector.
Step 4: The Circuit
Here are some suggestions :
- a controlled vehicle with an LCD 8x2 and Bluetooth module, that shows some information about temperature, battery condition, connection status.
- a vehicle that avoids obstacles with infrared sensors.
I´m working with two in one (a Bluetooth controlled vehicle / avoids obstacles vehicle), this is the reason for the optional button.
The step-up module (booster) is used to raise the 4.1 Volts from rechargeable batteries to 7 Volts.
Step 5: The Circuit 8x2 LCD
The LCD display shows information in a practical and inexpensive way, some of them cost around $ 4.00 at online stores. The majority of LCD modules are based on the very popular HD44780 controller.
LCD Pin Connect to
1 (VSS) GND nRover/Arduino pin
2 (VDD) + 5v nRover/Arduino pin
3 (contrast) Resistor or potentiometer to GND nRover/Arduino pin
4 RS nRover/Arduino pin 12
5 R/W nRover/Arduino pin 11
6 Enable nRover/Arduino pin 10
7 No connection
8 No connection
9 No connection
10 No connection
11 (Data 4) nRover/Arduino pin 5
12 (Data 5) nRover/Arduino pin 4
13 (Data 6) nRover/Arduino pin 3
14 (Data 7) nRover/Arduino pin 2
Instructable How to use an LCD display - Arduino Tutorial
Step 6: The Circuit - Bluetooth Module
The Bluetooth module is easy to use, simply connect the VCC to the 5V output on the Arduino, GND to Ground, RX to TX pin of the nRover/Arduino, and vice versa.
Bluetooth Module nRrover/Arduino
VCC 5v
GND GND
TXD RX
RXD TX
KEY No connection
STATE No connection
The instructable "Arduino AND Bluetooth HC-05 Connecting easily" shows how to use these modules.
Step 7: The Circuit - Button
The button function is one of the first things to learn, when programming microcontrollers, basically is necessary only a button, one resistor e some wires.
Another great instructable at, "Arduino Button Tutorial"
Step 8: The Circuit - Infrared Sensor Tcrt5000
The Tcrt5000 is an infrared transmitter and an IR phototransistor packed together. He is able to sense the distance between objects using infrared light and to identify the differences between colors white and black, it is useful to make line follower vehicles.
Are necessary two resistors, the typical values are 10K and 330 Ohms.
Instructable Simple Line follower robot using a Actobotics Runt Rover Sprout
Step 9: The Circuit - LM35 Temperature Sensor
The LM35 series are precision integrated-circuit temperature sensors, whose output voltage is linearly proportional to ( Centigrade ) temperature. This sensor can measure the temperature more accurately than a thermistor. and the circuit is easy to assemble, is only required a few wires
Step 10: The Circuit - DC Booster
A step up booster is a circuit made to raise an input DC voltage, in this case, the nRover/Arduino can be powered by four rechargeable batteries of 1.2V each, to 7V or more.
The instructable DIY Boost Converter || How to Step Up DC Voltage Efficiently
Step 11: Final Result
This is the final result, the weight distribution was perfect with the batteries in front and motors on back, attached the STL files, to visualize them, you can use the online tool STL Viewer.
