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My team and I are creating a robot using 4 stepper motors with mecanum wheels and an Arduino Uno. The code appears to be correct, and the motors seem to run just fine on their own, but once we screw on the mecanum wheels they can no longer turn. If we unscrew the mecanum wheels until they are not at all gripping the motor shaft, they wheels will turn with the motors but then we have the issue of the wheels falling off. We are running out of time to complete this robot, and we are struggling with mobility right now due to the inconsistency of the motors with the wheels. Any ideas as to why they won't turn properly?

Can post code if needed. Motors do turn by hand.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Photos of what you are unscrewing would probably help. \$\endgroup\$
    – HandyHowie
    Commented Apr 1, 2019 at 8:17
  • \$\begingroup\$ Send a picture of the electronics or parts you are using to drive the motors. \$\endgroup\$
    – Damien
    Commented Apr 1, 2019 at 8:17
  • \$\begingroup\$ What is the diameter of the wheels? At a guess you need some gearing... \$\endgroup\$
    – Solar Mike
    Commented Apr 1, 2019 at 11:11
  • \$\begingroup\$ Does the motors get the current needed? Is the wire dimension large enough? Sound like a mechanical or electrical problem. How fast are you stepping the motors? The increased load can cause the motor to stall. \$\endgroup\$
    – Peter Karlsen
    Commented Apr 1, 2019 at 11:13
  • \$\begingroup\$ I think the load is to heavy for the motors to move. The best way is to replace the stepper motor into a larger motor. Other solution is to add a gear drive instead of directly connecting the stepper motor to the wheels \$\endgroup\$
    – Julius
    Commented Jan 20, 2022 at 7:01

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Are the wheels simply too heavy for the motors? Or in more precise physical terms, is the moment of inertia of the wheels so great that the stepper motors are not powerful enough to turn them?

Stepper motors tend to "tick" from one position to the next. This implies a very rapid acceleration, and then deceleration, of whatever is attached to the motor. If that's a heavy wheel, the motor may just stall instead.

Increasing the motor current may help. But not so much that you burn out the motors.

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