Tank & Vachel Design
2022/06 - today
As a military model enthusiast, creating models has become a habit for me. However, using ready-made models still couldn't satisfy me. Therefore, I started using Solidworks to create models, 3D print them, program, design circuits, and completed one remote-controlled tank after another. Each one of them has its own features, and I continuously improve them.
First Design: Panzerkampfwagen III L
Using Solidworks to create assemblies for the model, I have strived to faithfully replicate all the details on the tank, including various tools, shovels, fire extinguishers, jacks, and so on. Additionally, I have incorporated various tank-specific details such as rivets, linkage pins, boxes, additional armor, searchlights, and more.
I used an Arduino UNO, an L298N chip, and an NRF24L01 wireless remote control chip to create the control module. Additionally, I utilized an MPU6050 chip to calculate the rotation angle through Kalman filtering, then fed the values back to the servo motor to adjust the pitch angle, creating a stabilization system. The circuit wasn't overly complex either, as I had to wire it manually without a PCB. Once I wrote a simple program, the software part was essentially complete.
The remote control, in fact, was even simpler. I just attached a basic joystick to the UNO board, and while it may seem rudimentary, it gets the job done, and the handling is excellent.
Second Design: Jagdpanzer Hetzer
The vehicle is a replica of a classic World War II model, the M18 Hellcat tank destroyer. Compared to the first model, improvements were made to the track modeling and printing parameters, resulting in the vehicle having enhanced off-road capabilities and maneuverability. Whether it's climbing slopes or off-roading, it can perform effortlessly as if on level ground.
Third Design: Zhurong (rover)
Zhurong (Chinese: 祝融; pinyin: Zhùróng) is a Chinese rover on Mars, the country's first to land on another planet after it previously landed two rovers on the Moon. The rover is part of the Tianwen-1 mission to Mars conducted by the China National Space Administration (CNSA).
Fourth Design: MARK III
British heavy tanks were a series of related armored fighting vehicles developed by the UK during the First World War. The Mark I was the world's first tank, a tracked, armed, and armored vehicle, to enter combat.
Compared to the previous tanks, this vehicle uses an ESP-32 CAM as the main control chip and is controlled via a smartphone connection. This project also marks my first venture into creating a mobile web interface, handling Wi-Fi connectivity, and transmitting camera images.
