Advanced Methods in Innovation NASA/INVENTORcloud Mars Rover Kit Gaining Traction on... User manual

NASA Mars Rover Kit Assembly Instructions
© Advanced Methods in Innovation, 2017 1
Assembly Instructions for
NASA / INVENTORcloud Mars Rover Kit
“Gaining Traction on Mars”
© Advanced Methods in Innovation, 2017

NASA Mars Rover Kit Assembly Instructions
© Advanced Methods in Innovation, 2017 2
A. What’s In the Box?
The rover kit is contained in a small cardboard box shown below:
Rover kit components are packaged in the box as shown:
Rover
Kit Box
-
Closed
Rover
Kit Box
-
Open

NASA Mars Rover Kit Assembly Instructions
© Advanced Methods in Innovation, 2017 3
Components found in the rover kit box are as follows:
 Wheels (x4)
 Gearbox Package
Rover Wheels
Gearbox Package

NASA Mars Rover Kit Assembly Instructions
© Advanced Methods in Innovation, 2017 4
o Pre-wired Gearbox with Pinion Gears (Inside Gearbox Package)
o Battery Pack for AAA Batteries with On/Off Switch (Inside Gearbox Package)
Gearbox
Pinion Gears
AAA Battery Pack
On/Off Switch

NASA Mars Rover Kit Assembly Instructions
© Advanced Methods in Innovation, 2017 5
o Gearbox Components and Instructions (Inside Gearbox Package) – NOT NEEDED FOR ROVER
KIT ASSEMBLY
 Rover Top (Clear) and Bottom (Black) with Bearings and Axles
Rover Top
Rover Bottom
Bearing
Axle

NASA Mars Rover Kit Assembly Instructions
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 Components Bag
o 18-Tooth Gears (x2) and 24-Tooth Gears (x2) (Inside Components Bag)
Components Bag
24
-
Tooth Gears
18
-
Tooth Gears

NASA Mars Rover Kit Assembly Instructions
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o H-Bracket and Support Post (Inside Components Bag)
o Wheel Washers (x4) (Inside Components Bag)
‘
o Rubber Bands – 3.5” x 3/4” (x4), 7” x 1/8” (x2) (Inside Components Bag)
Support Post
H
-
Bracket
Wheel Washers
7” x 1/8” Rubber Bands
3.5” x 3/4” Rubber Bands

NASA Mars Rover Kit Assembly Instructions
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o Hex Keys – 3 mm, 4 mm (Inside Components Bag)
o AAA Batteries (x2) (Inside Components Bag)
 Hardware Bag
4 mm Hex Key
3 mm Hex Key
AAA Batteries
Hardware Bag

NASA Mars Rover Kit Assembly Instructions
© Advanced Methods in Innovation, 2017 9
o Socket Head Cap Screws – M4 x 50 (x6), M4 x 10 (x2), M3 x 10 (x2) (Inside Hardware Bag)
o M4 Wing Nuts (x2), M3 Wing Nuts (x2), M4 Washers (x2) (Inside Hardware Bag)
 NASA Decals (x2)
M4 x 50 Screws
M4 x 10 Screws
M3 x 10 Screws
M3 Wing Nuts
M4 Wing Nuts
M4 Washers
NASA Decals

NASA Mars Rover Kit Assembly Instructions
© Advanced Methods in Innovation, 2017 10
B. Assembly Instructions
Please follow these instructions carefully and read every step completely prior to executing the step. Do
not overtighten screws – screws should be snug but there is no need to tighten as much as possible. All
tools needed to assemble the printer kit have been provided. Use the M3 hex key to tighten M3 screws
and the M4 hex key to tighten M4 screws. The color of certain components may change from photo to
photo and may not match your kit, however this is purely cosmetic and will not impact rove assembly.
1. Place a wheel washer on an M4 x 50 socket head cap screw
2. Pair an 18-tooth gear with a wheel by inserting the extruded hexagon on the gear face into the
hexagonal hole on the rear of the wheel
3. Insert the M4 x 50 screw with washer through the hole in the gear from the inside of the wheel
Wheel washer on M4 x 50 screw
Gear flush against wheel
Hexagon seated in wheel
Insert on inside of wheel

NASA Mars Rover Kit Assembly Instructions
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4. Attach the wheel and 18-tooth gear to the rover bottom.
Place bottom on table with slots on right
Attach
wheels with 18
-
tooth gears on left
Attach wheel so that tread points to left
Insert M3 hex
key in hole on
axle to prevent
axle from
rotating
Tighten
screw
with M4
hex key.
Do not
over
tighten.
Ensure hexagon on gear remains seated
in wheel and gear sits flush against wheel

NASA Mars Rover Kit Assembly Instructions
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5. Repeat Steps 1 to 4 for the remaining 18 tooth gear and same color rover wheel.
6. Repeat Steps 1 to 5 for the 24-tooth gears and two remaining wheels.
Verify wheel tread points in this direction
Wheels with 24-tooth
gears attached
Tread of all wheels
should point in the
same direction

NASA Mars Rover Kit Assembly Instructions
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7. Attach gearbox to rover bottom using M3 x 10 screws and M3 wingnuts.
Top of gearbox
Mounting holes
M3 x 10 screws
Insert screws from top
through mounting holes
Place gearbox on bottom
with
screws in slots
Gearbox should face
this direction
Place M3 wingnuts on screws
from underneath rover
Do not tighten wingnuts completely to
allow gearbox to slide along slots

NASA Mars Rover Kit Assembly Instructions
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8. Slide gear box so that pinions engage wheel gears and tighten M3 wingnuts to lock gearbox in
place.
9. Attach the support post to the rover bottom at the mounting hole behind the gearbox using an
M4 x 10 screw.
Slide gearbox until pinions
engage wheel gears
Tighten wingnuts to lock gearbox in place
Support post
mounting hole
Insert screw
through
bottom of
rover and
into
support
post and
tighten

NASA Mars Rover Kit Assembly Instructions
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10. Insert batteries into battery pack.
11. Attach the H-bracket to the rover bottom at the two mounting holes on the end of the rover
using two M4 x 50 screws.
Make sure switch
is set to OFF
Insert batteries
and close lid
H-bracket
mounting holes
“TOP” text up and facing direction shown
Insert screws from
bottom
Do not yet tighten screws completely –
bracket should be able to lift slightly

NASA Mars Rover Kit Assembly Instructions
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12. Attach battery pack to rover bottom.
13. Place rover top on rover assembly.
Tighten screws to lock
battery holder in place
Slide battery pack under H-bracket
with switch oriented as shown
Pull ends of wires through
large hole on rover top
Screws pass through holes
on end of top
Orient the rover top as
shown. INVENT3D
sticker (not pictured)
should be facing up.

NASA Mars Rover Kit Assembly Instructions
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14. Fasten rover top to support post using an M4 x 10 screw.
15. Connect wires to M4 x 50 screws that protrude from the rover top.
Insert screw from top into
support post
and tighten
Place M4 washers on
ends of screws
Place ring connectors of both red
wire
s
on one of the screws
Tighten an M4 wingnut
onto the screw to hold
connectors in place

NASA Mars Rover Kit Assembly Instructions
© Advanced Methods in Innovation, 2017 18
16. The rover is now complete. NASA decal(s) may be affixed to the rover where desired.
17. The rover is currently configured in a rear wheel drive setting, with the end of the rover with the
battery pack serving as the front of the vehicle. Rewiring the vehicle (switching one red wire
and one black wire) as described in the project documentation will change the vehicle to front
wheel drive. When the vehicle is in a front wheel drive setting, the end of the vehicle with the
support post becomes the front, and wheel positions should be switched so that tread points in
the opposite direction (the direction that the vehicle moves).
Place ring connectors
of both black wires on
the remaining screw
Tighten an M4 wingnut
onto the screw to hold
connectors in place
Completed rover kit

NASA Mars Rover Kit Assembly Instructions
© Advanced Methods in Innovation, 2017 19
18. To easily remove wheels without removing the top of the rover, insert the M3 hex key through
the hole in the rover top closest to the wheel to be removed and into the hole at the end of the
axle. This will prevent the axle from spinning as the M4 hex key is used to remove the M4 x 50
screw attaching the wheel to the axle.
Insert hex key
through rover top
and into hole in axle
to prevent axle from
rotating