Wheeled Robot Chassis: What Are The “Wear Parts”?

As robotic chassis are increasingly applied across various industries, their performance and service life have been steadily improving. However, they remain constrained by complex operating environments, with components such as drive systems, sensor and positioning systems, and mobility and support structures all subject to varying degrees of wear and tear. Extending the service life of robots and reducing component wear have been the focus of our company’s ongoing efforts.

We are a robot chassis supplier integrating R&D, design, and manufacturing. Our main products include Ackermann chassis, differential chassis, four-wheel-drive robot chassis, and tracked chassis.

 1. Mobility components are critical elements of robot chassis, with common examples including tires/wheels and tracks.

As the only component in contact with the ground, tires bear the robot’s entire weight and driving force. Common issues with tires primarily depend on the complexity of the operating environment and the structural characteristics of the tires themselves.

During operation, the robot chassis may need to stop, start, or turn on the spot due to unexpected situations, causing intense friction between the tires and the ground, which leads to tread wear.

In certain environments, the tires or tracks of a robotic chassis may be punctured by sand, stones, or glass shards.

Due to the inherent nature of rubber products, tires may age and crack under prolonged compression, deformation, and repeated stress. Additionally, factors such as UV exposure, chemical corrosion, and temperature fluctuations in harsh environments can accelerate the degradation of rubber materials.

Wheel hub bearings are critical support components of robot chassis and may be damaged by harsh operating environments and complex load conditions:

In outdoor or industrial environments, the bearing sealing system may become contaminated by dust, moisture, and chemical pollutants, leading to lubrication failure or corrosion of metal surfaces.

In some robot chassis, due to poor sealing or prolonged use, lubricants may gradually leak or become contaminated, leading to increased internal friction, overheating, and wear.

Furthermore, frequent starts and stops, along with speed variations, subject the bearings to cyclic stress, making them prone to fatigue spalling; vibration and impact can disrupt the oil film inside the bearings, exacerbating wear.

2. The drive system provides the core power for the robot chassis, converting electrical energy into mechanical energy to enable the robot to perform various movements.

Due to the harsh operating conditions (mud, corrosion) and dynamic loads faced by the robot chassis, its motors are prone to damage.

To make room for other components within the robot, robot motor housings are generally designed to be compact. However, high-dynamic motion leads to rapid heat buildup; poor ventilation or cooling system failures can easily cause the windings to overheat, accelerating insulation aging. At the same time, lubricants are prone to degradation under prolonged high loads, exacerbating component friction.

In outdoor or industrial environments, motors inevitably face challenges posed by harsh conditions such as dust, humidity, and temperature fluctuations. The combined effect of these factors can lead to aging of the motor winding insulation, bearing wear, and reduced heat dissipation, ultimately resulting in overheating, decreased efficiency, or even motor failure.

The reducer is a critical component in a robot’s mechanical system. It uses gear meshing to reduce motor speed and increase output torque, thereby meeting the robot’s requirements for speed, torque, and precision.

The reducer must not only withstand the motor’s high speed and high torque over extended periods but also endure the impact loads generated during robot startup, braking, and climbing. This subjects the gears and bearings to alternating stresses, leading to fatigue wear.

If a robot operates in harsh environments such as dusty or humid conditions, the reducer may experience lubricant degradation or contamination, accelerating friction and wear on bearings and gears.

The robot’s frequent forward and reverse operations and precise positioning control requirements subject the reducer to complex load variations, which can easily lead to increased gear backlash and reduced transmission accuracy.

In smart manufacturing, sensor fusion technology in robot chassis enables high-precision positioning, dynamic environmental perception, and autonomous navigation capabilities through real-time collection and collaborative processing of multi-source data.

In robots, precise feedback and multimodal sensor information are the core foundation for achieving flexible, adaptive tasks, which relies on encoders for real-time monitoring and identification.

Encoders are mounted on mobile chassis and are directly exposed to harsh environments such as dust, moisture, and oil contamination. At the same time, they must withstand the robot’s own weight, impact and vibration during movement, as well as jolts caused by uneven ground. These continuous mechanical forces can easily lead to loosening of internal components, solder joint failure, or unstable signal transmission.

As precision electronic components, sensors are highly sensitive to environmental conditions. Since robot chassis must operate in dynamic or complex environments, encoders become the most vulnerable components within the entire chassis system.

Robot chassis are deployed in diverse scenarios and are influenced by factors such as operating environments and payloads; consequently, the wear-prone components of the chassis directly impact its service life. Therefore, understanding the maintenance precautions for robot chassis and performing regular maintenance is crucial.

(1) The operating temperature range is -20°C to 50°C; do not use the robot in environments below -20°C or above 50°C;

(2) During operation, ensure that the tire pressure of the robot remains stable. If a tire deflates or other issues occur, repair or replace the tire promptly.

(3) Strictly adhere to the motor’s rated power. Regularly inspect the motor bearings and gears for wear. If abnormal vibrations or noises occur, immediately shut down the machine for inspection to prevent further damage.

(4) Periodically wipe the sensor surfaces with a soft cloth to remove dust and debris. If any damage or abnormalities are found in the cables, replace or repair them immediately.