Mecanum Wheels

Advantages of Mecanum Wheels

TENTE mecanum wheels enable true omnidirectional movement – forwards, sideways, and diagonally – so platforms can position precisely in confined spaces. Each wheel is configured to the application with options in diameter, load class, roller compounds (e.g., Novatech, Ultratech, Ultratech plus), and high-precision bearings. Correct integration with the mounting hub/module and drive is essential, as the complete system determines permissible load, stability, and service life.

TENTE mecanum wheels offer various key benefits:

Omnidirectional Movement and Space Efficiency – Mecanum kinematics allow lateral and diagonal travel without rotating the chassis, ideal for tight aisles, docking to conveyors, and precise station alignment. The result is smoother workflows and higher throughput where route flexibility is critical.

Precision Positioning under Load – Geometry and bearing selection support low-play, predictable motion, enabling vehicles to approach targets and hold position accurately. When the system is correctly sized, this precision is maintained even at higher loads.

Customised Engineering – Specify diameter (influences permissible load and obstacle handling), roller material (balance grip and wear), and bearing precision (reduce starting and rolling forces) to match your duty cycle.

Serviceable Solutions – TENTE provides on-site analysis, concepting, prototyping, and implementation, backed by repair services to maximise uptime and extend wheel life over long operating periods.

Fields of Application for Mecanum Wheels

Mecanum wheels are selected wherever vehicles must manoeuvre freely in tight spaces and align precisely without complex turning. In intralogistics and manufacturing, they are widely used on AGV systems and AMR systems to enable lateral and diagonal travel for docking to conveyors, shelves, and workstations with repeatable positioning under load, where frequent start–stop cycles and fine alignment are required in narrow aisles or transfer points. To achieve the expected reliability and load capacity, the wheels should be paired with an appropriately engineered hub/module and drive; TENTE supports this with customer-specific materials and a structured process from on-site analysis through prototyping, and implementation.

Difference between Mecanum and Omni Wheels

Mecanum and omni wheels both enable holonomic motion, but they do it in different ways. Mecanum wheels use rollers set at about 45°; with four independently driven wheels, their force vectors combine to produce sideways or diagonal travel without turning, typically with higher permissible loads and better traction – hence, their popularity on industrial AGV/AMR platforms. Omni wheels have rollers at 90° to the rim, so each wheel can slide laterally; holonomic movement is achieved by coordinating three (120° layout) or four (90° layout) driven wheels. Omni solutions are very agile and compact but usually deliver less lateral grip and lower load capacity and are more sensitive to gaps or rough flooring. For both types, real-world performance depends on the complete system – wheel diameter and roller compound, bearing precision, and the matched hub/module and drive – which together determine load rating, stability, and service life.