The first is the drive sprocket that is connected to the motor. This sprocket typically does not use any suspension since this would make the design more complicated. For a robot project, the only problem is finding the appropriate method for connecting it to the motor.
The second type of sprocket is the idler sprocket that is often found in the back of the vehicle (although earlier design often placed the idler in the front). This sprocket may use some form of suspension to keep the treads stretched. The treads can also be stretched by an idler at some other place.
The third type of wheels are the return rollers that helps the transport of the treads to the idler sprocket. These are not always necessary and it may even be possible to let the treads return over the road wheels.
The final type are the road wheels. These are the ones that take up the weight of the vehicle and they should have some form of suspension. Some projects have used individual suspension for each wheel. The picture below shows a design with pivoted bogies with two wheels each. This solution has also been used in tank models. This is a simple design that may be easier to build than road wheels with individual suspension. For a smaller robot, it may also be possible to not use any suspension at all.
There can be many variants on this design. For example, it would be possible to have two drive sprockets driven by two different motors. This is the design for the HD2 robot.
Although I have not decided on the exact design yet, I managed to buy sixteen wheels that will function as road wheels for the robot. These are black plastic wheels with gray rubber tyres. They fit well with the design of the treads and do not make a sound when rolled on the threads. The wheels have a diameter of approximately 5 cm. So far, I am planning to use pivoted bogies without any springs. This will both look very good and will also help the robot when it passes over smaller objects such as thresholds.
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