Investigation of deviation of a differential drive autonomous mobile robot induced with caster wheels

In this study, the effect of caster wheels on the deviations in the direction of movement of Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) is investigated. An AMR designed to examine the driving effects of caster wheels was analyzed in CoppeliaSim. The Unified Robot Description Format (URDF) file of the caster wheels, designed in the CAD program, was transferred to the CoppeliaSim program. Two different AMRs, which were 75 and 150 kg in total weight, were used to examine the effect of the weight of the AMR. Three types of caster wheels, which were single, double, and dual axial, were used in the analysis. The diameter, axis of rotation, and the total height of the caster wheel parameters were kept constant to compare wheels for each case. The results suggest that single caster wheels cause the most deviation in turns of AMR. The deviation in the double caster wheel is lower than on the single wheel. Furthermore, the lowest amount of deviation is in the dual axial caster wheels. Additionally, the deviations occurring in the AMRs with double caster and dual swivel caster are not affected by the weight of the AMR.