Students Develop Advanced Wheel Concepts for a Lunar Rover
At the College of Production Engineering (VŠPI), the project focused on the development of advanced wheel concepts for a lunar exploration rover is coming to a close. The project was carried out within the framework of the public call Problem-Based Student Learning in the Working Environment 2024–2027.
Photo: College of Industrial Engineering
The project brought together students, higher education teachers, and the industrial partner Balmar d.o.o., a company developing advanced technological solutions for the aerospace industry. The main objective of the project was to develop wheels for a lunar rover that must ensure stability, reliability, low weight, and adequate load-bearing capacity in the demanding conditions of the lunar surface.
Students from VŠPI, the Faculty of Computer and Information Science of the University of Ljubljana, the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of the University of Ljubljana, and the Faculty of Environmental Protection worked together in a multidisciplinary team. They used modern computer tools, including Siemens NX, Ansys, and Umberto, and developed several conceptual solutions, 3D models, and numerical simulations.
The selected solutions are based on a lightweight structure with radial spokes, metal 3D printing of the rim, and CNC manufacturing of the hub. The project enabled students to work on real challenges from the space industry and to develop professional, digital, and communication competencies.
The project was carried out within the framework of the call “Problem-Based Student Learning in the Working Environment: Economy, Public Sector and Non-Profit Sector in the Local/Regional Environment 2024–2027”, financed by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Slovenia and the European Social Fund.