The paper presents an innovative design of a remotely controlled tracked test platform and the results of field tests conducted on an experimental track located at the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the Military University of Technology, aimed at verifying the possibility of using existing analytical methods for determining the steering resistance of articulated vehicles in the design of light articulated tracked vehicles. Furthermore, two proprietary methods for estimating steering resistance are presented.One of the dominant directions in the development of armament and military equipment is robotization – the introduction of unmanned systems capable of performing various operational tasks without direct human involvement. In the case of Unmanned Ground Platforms (UGPs), their primary task is to increase the distance between the soldier and the threat.
Among the concepts being developed are light unmanned ground platforms supporting humans in terrain inaccessible to classic vehicles. The specificity of the tasks intended for these platforms places very high demands on both their drive systems and running gear.
Due to the progressive development of hydraulic components, their reliability, and controllability, hydrostatic drive systems are increasingly used in modern machines and vehicles.
Analyzing the running gear of vehicles with high off-road mobility, it can be observed that a significant portion of them are equipped with tracked chassis, allowing for lower ground pressure and, consequently, the ability to move in terrain with lower load-bearing capacity. However, excessive maximization of the track area results in higher steering resistance and a reduction in the space available for housing drive system components and cargo. (…)
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Source: Logistyka Magazine