Chassis Deflection: Chassis base plate deflected over 10mm with a 15kg internal payload.

Heavy Frame: Frame design was insufficiently rigid and had heavy aluminium extrusions, totalling 10kg.

Mounting Issues: Internally stored payloads caused removal difficulties and mounting issues due to chassis deflections.

Poor Integration: Poor planning between the chassis, suspension, and wheels led to higher assembly costs and increased maintenance efforts.

Weight Efficiency: Chassis construction limited to a maximum mass of 10kg.

Payload Capacity: Capable of supporting up to 10kg of front-mounted payloads with minimal deflection.

Internal Storage: Designed to accommodate 5kg of internally stored systems with minimal deflection.

Quick-Swap Payload System: Incorporates a rapid, swappable mounting system for front-mounted payloads.

Prototyping Flexibility: Utilises a design that enables swift prototyping and easy modifications.

Sheet Metal Chassis Construction. Departing from the single-sheet folded chassis design of 2022, the 2023 version utilises 2mm and 3mm 6061 aluminium panels, achieving a lightweight structure while maintaining rigidity through riveted connections to the structural frame.

Square Tube Ladder Frame: The frame is made from 6061 Aluminium Square Tube extrutions in a ladder configuration to provide axial rigidity for sub-system loads and torsional strength for skid steering manoeuvres.

Modular Front Plate: Allows for front-mounted payloads, up to 25kg, to be quickly attached and detached with ease.

Side and Bottom Panel Fixtures: Allows for predetermined attachments to be mounted securely, accounting for the centre of mass, notably a 1.5m tall Ubiquiti 2.4GHz antenna.

Chassis-Suspension-Wheel Integration: Incorperation of designs for DC-Motor mounts, shoulder flanges, leveling-bar interface, and additional components.

Painted Finish: Primed and spray painted matte blue and red for aesthetic appeal.

Reduced Weight: Utilised 6061 aluminium 2mm sheet metal panels and lightweight square beams in a ladder frame configuration, bringing the chassis body weight to under 5kg.

Added External Payload Capacity: By leveraging the 6061 Aluminium structural frame and a 3mm thick front plate, the chassis could support up to 25kg of statically mounted payloads with a maximum deflection of 1mm, according to FEA results.

Increased Internal Storage: By using the structural frame and a 2mm thick aluminium base panel, the chassis can support up to 15 kilograms statically with a 0.5mm deflection on the base plate, as per FEA results.

Quick Swap Payload System: Implemented a teardrop mount design that greatly reduced the time and effort for payload removal, achieving an attach-detach time of approximately 10 seconds.

Reduced Maintenance and Faults: Better integration of sub-system features lead to more compatible interfaces, which significantly reduced required maintenance and breakdowns.

Improved Prototyping Flexibility: Implemented a weldless design incorporating DFMA and Poka Yoke principles, resulting in a cost-effective and highly capable subsystem.