Hardware

Having a good swerve starts with having good hardware. Here is a summary of potential swerve hardware you might use.

Modules:

Swerve Drive Specialties:

• MK4 Module

  • Cost (not including motors): $300-310 USD

  • Weight (with motors): 2.2 kg (Neo), 2.4 kg (Falcon)

  • Notable Features: Very robust and used widely among FRC teams

• MK4i Module

  • Cost (not including motors): $365 USD

  • Weight (including motors): 2.7 kg (Neo), 2.9 kg (Falcon)

  • Notable Features: Compact, robust, and popular among FRC teams

MK4 Swerve Module

MK4i Swerve Module

West Coast Products:

• Swerve X

  • Cost (not including motors): $305-325 USD

  • Weight (not including motors): 1.2-1.6 kg (depends on the model)

  • Notable Features: Very configurable, many different options to choose from

Possible Swerve X Configuration

REV Robotics:

• MAXSwerve

  • Cost (not including motors): $300 USD

  • Weight (including motors): 1.7 kg (Neo), 1.8 kg (Falcon)

  • Notable Features: Incredibly small and lightweight

MAXSwerve Module

Homemade Swerve:

• Your Imagination

  • Cost: time and money

  • Weight: n/a

  • Notable Features: You can customize it any way you want

Sensor Customization

Rotor Encoder

FRC teams often use the CTRE CANCoder for measuring the angle of the rotor. It is a great sensor but it can be a bit expensive. Thus, teams with a tighter budget can consider using the Thrifty Absolute Magnetic Encoder. This encoder uses the same mount as normal CANCoders, but comes at a much cheaper price.

CANCoder

Thrifty Absolute Magnetic Encoder

IMU

Additionally, teams must have an IMU on the robot to measure the angle of the robot. Popular IMU choices include the Pigeon and navX IMUs.

navX2 IMU

Pigeon2 IMU