Why do I need to apply large force (10 kN) to move my robot?
I modeled my physical, simple diff-drive robot with two larger drive wheels and two casters. The robot total weight is around 30 kg. Body size is L=0.512 m, W=0.384 m , H=0.211 m
When I interact with the model (Apply Force/Torque) in Gazebo, I need to use very large forces to move it: 10 kN barely moves it, 100 kN pushes it around 1 m forward. The force feels completely disproportional.
Is there anything wrong with my model because this does not pass a smell test?
Appreciate any feedback.
The body inertial is as follows:
<inertial>
<mass value="30.0"/>
<inertia ixx="0.7666624999999999" ixy="0.0" ixz="0.0" iyy="1.024" iyz="0.0" izz="0.47994250000000005"/>
</inertial>
The entire URDF:
<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<!-- =================================================================================== -->
<!-- | This document was autogenerated by xacro from travik.xacro | -->
<!-- | EDITING THIS FILE BY HAND IS NOT RECOMMENDED | -->
<!-- =================================================================================== -->
<robot name="travik">
<material name="black">
<color rgba="0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0"/>
</material>
<material name="blue">
<color rgba="0.0 0.0 0.8 1.0"/>
</material>
<material name="green">
<color rgba="0.0 0.8 0.0 1.0"/>
</material>
<material name="grey">
<color rgba="0.2 0.2 0.2 1.0"/>
</material>
<material name="orange">
<color rgba="1.0 0.4235294117647059 0.0392156862745098 1.0"/>
</material>
<material name="brown">
<color rgba="0.8705882352941177 0.8117647058823529 0.7647058823529411 1.0"/>
</material>
<material name="red">
<color rgba="0.8 0.0 0.0 1.0"/>
</material>
<material name="white">
<color rgba="1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0"/>
</material>
<!-- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_moments_of_inertia#List_of_3D_inertia_tensors -->
<!-- prevent "The root base_link has an inertia specified in the URDF, but KDL" error -->
<link name="base_footprint"/>
<joint name="base_joint" type="fixed">
<parent link="base_footprint"/>
<child link="base_link"/>
<origin rpy="0 0 0" xyz="0.0 0.0 0.010"/>
</joint>
<link name="base_link">
<visual>
<origin rpy="0 0 0" xyz="0 0 0"/>
<geometry>
<box size="0.512 0.384 0.211"/>
</geometry>
<material name="green"/>
</visual>
<collision>
<origin rpy="0 0 0" xyz="0 0 0"/>
<geometry>
<box size="0.512 0.384 0.211"/>
</geometry>
</collision>
<inertial>
<mass value="30.0"/>
<inertia ixx="0.7666624999999999" ixy="0.0" ixz="0.0" iyy="1.024" iyz="0.0" izz="0.47994250000000005"/>
</inertial>
</link>
<link name="left_front_wheel">
<visual>
<origin rpy="1.5707963267948966 0 0" xyz="0 0 0"/>
<geometry>
<cylinder length="0.083" radius="0.128"/>
</geometry>
<material name="black"/>
</visual>
<collision>
<origin rpy="1.5707963267948966 0 0" xyz="0 0 0"/>
<geometry>
<cylinder length="0.083" radius="0.128"/>
</geometry>
</collision>
<inertial>
<origin rpy="1.5707963267948966 0 0" xyz="0 0 0"/>
<mass value="3"/>
<inertia ixx="0.01401025" ixy="0" ixz="0" iyy="0.01401025" iyz="0" izz="0.024576"/>
</inertial>
</link>
<joint name="left_front_wheel_joint" type="continuous">
<axis rpy="0 0 0" xyz="0 1 0"/>
<parent link="base_link"/>
<child link="left_front_wheel"/>
<origin rpy="0 0 0" xyz="0.128 0.2495 -0.04149999999999998"/>
<dynamics ...