Dive into the numbers behind omnidirectional drive — and walk away with a checklist you can hand to any factory.
Short answer: For education robots and small AGVs, a 100mm mecanum wheel is the practical sweet spot. Match the bore to the motor shaft: 12mm hex is the default and fits most 36-60mm DC gearmotors, so a round shaft needs a coupling or custom wheel. For roller material, choose polyurethane for mixed tile and carpet, or nylon for clean, smooth lanes where cost per kilometre matters.
Mecanum wheel diameter sets three things at once: ground clearance, speed ceiling, and torque demand. A 100mm wheel is the practical sweet spot for education robots and small AGVs because it clears most floor debris without forcing your motor to work hard. Go smaller (60-80mm) and every bump becomes a stall risk; go larger (150mm+) and you need a much stronger motor and a stiffer chassis to avoid flex.
The bore is where wheels and motors meet, and it is the most common sourcing mistake we see. A 12mm hex bore matches the D-cut/hex output shaft of most 36-60mm DC gearmotors used in 4WD robot platforms. If your motor has a round shaft or a different hex size, you will need a coupling or a custom wheel — which is why we always ask for a motor datasheet before quoting bulk orders.
Nylon rollers: hard, low-cost, excellent wear on smooth warehouse floors. Polyurethane (PU): higher grip, quieter, better on tile and carpet, slightly more expensive. For education environments (tile + carpet mix) we recommend PU; for clean AGV lanes, nylon wins on cost per km.
Looking for a drop-in wheel? Our 4" 100mm mecanum wheel with 12mm hex bore is the exact spec used in our 4WD chassis — low MOQs so you can test before you scale. Request a quote and we will confirm compatibility with your motor within 24h.
Most 100mm education and AGV mecanum wheels use a 12mm hex bore, which matches common DC gearmotor shafts. Some models offer 8mm or round bores — confirm the motor shaft before ordering.
A single 100mm mecanum wheel with polyurethane rollers typically supports 10-20 kg. A 4-wheel 4WD platform using four wheels can move 40-80 kg depending on chassis rigidity and roller material.
Nylon rollers are harder, cheaper and wear slower on smooth floors. Polyurethane (PU) rollers grip better, are quieter, and suit uneven surfaces — the right choice for indoor AGV applications.