Powerful and compact motors for everyone
Manufacturers of ranges for amateur robotics have met the expectations of automation enthusiasts by creating a very attractive range of small and inexpensive drives for mobile robots. DC angular motors with gearboxes are particularly appreciated due to the small amount of space taken up on board the robot, as well as the ease of maintaining the desired width of the mobile platform. While classic motors with simple gearing have to be positioned opposite each other (which increases the width of the entire robot) or alternately (e.g. the right drive at the front and the left drive at the rear), angular motors can be positioned in parallel, on both sides of even a very narrow chassis. The bevel gearbox also greatly facilitates high ground clearance, which is important in "off-road" designs for less robot-friendly surfaces.
Dagu DC angle motors - the choice is yours
Dagu, a well-known manufacturer of components and modules for amateur robotics, offers a wide range of DC motors with angular gearing. A great advantage of the brand's drives remains their low price - an excellent example is the DG02S-1P, which is a set of two DC bevel motors with a 48:1 ratio, powered by 3V. The gearbox is fitted with a 5.4mm output shaft, and the motor's maximum current consumption is just 170mA - allowing it to be controlled by even the smallest H-bridges or single low-power transistors. The company also offers angular DC motors with a gearbox equipped with a double-sided shaft - as an example, let's mention model DG01-D, capable of driving robot wheels or small mechanisms with a maximum torque of 0.8 kg*cm. In other designs (e.g. DG02S-2P), the output shaft of the gearbox is parallel to the motor axis, but offset from it, which gives completely different installation possibilities.
Other angle drives
In this category you will also find DC angle motors with gearboxes from other manufacturers - including Pololu. An excellent choice for larger amateur robots, for example, would be Pololu's angle drive, featuring a 120:1 gear ratio with a shaft on both sides. The motor reaches 120 rpm (that's two revolutions per second) and the robust gearbox provides a torque of 1.4 kg*cm, which is more than enough even for designs with larger diameter wheels. For robots that require wheel speed control, the SJ02 120:1 6V 160RPM DC motor, equipped with an incremental encoder, is an excellent choice.