Summary: The objective of this project was to design, fabricate, and test a vehicle capable of traveling along a track, launching through the air, then landing on a target at a predicted location. In accordance with competition guidelines, the vehicle was designed to meet certain criteria regarding: cost, energy supply, safety, mass, size, material, and number of wheels. Key dimensions of the track of the track as well as the material of the target remained unknown until the day of the competition.
Each team’s vehicle’s performance was quantified and compared using the following equation:
Our team began the design process by researching various designs using the permitted energy supply and examining the scoring equation to determine primary contributing factors. Several concept designs were developed based on a survey of readily available parts. Our design strategy was to maximize predictability (and thus, ������� ������) while attempting to minimize ���� and ����. Our team…show more content… In order to simplify these equations, the curves of the track were disregarded, and the track was modeled as two triangles and a flat center section as shown below:
‘Height 1’ is the vertical distance measured from the flat section of the track to the center of gravity of the vehicle.
‘Height 2’ is the vertical distance measured from the flat section the track to the top of the end of the track. θ1 and θ2 are the measured angles between the respective inclines and horizontal plane.
The lengths ‘Incline 1’ and ‘Incline 2’ were calculated using the equation: Incline x =
Incline x = (Height x)/sin(θx) The work done by friction was then calculated using the dimensions of the track and an approximate coefficient of friction obtained using two different methods of friction testing (see Friction Testing, Methods 1 &
