Motor Configuration:
Goals:
Collect the data and compare power vs. distance and power vs, time. The resulting configuration that possesses the lowest power and highest distance will be implemented.
Methods:
For the motor configuration testing, the team tested the efficiency of pusher and puller configuration by reversing the directions of motors. Half of the runs were completed using the pusher configuration, and the rest were completed using the puller configuration. The plots of Power vs. Distance and Power vs. Time were generated to evaluate which configuration worked more efficiently.
Equipment needed:
1.Constructed AEV + LI-PO Battery/Batteries
2. designated tracks
Graph and Data Collection:
Results:
The figure Power vs. Time for Pusher and Puller Configuration compares the power consumption at the same time between pusher and puller configuration.[appendex] There is no clear evidence to prove which configuration is more efficient. For example, at time interval 14 to 17 seconds, pusher configuration needs more power. At time interval 20 to 22.5 seconds, puller configuration requires more power. Because of different directions of the motors, a configuration might need more power than another at a specific command.
The figure Power vs. Time for Pusher and Puller Configuration indicated that pusher configuration will help the AEV travel a longer distance. [appendex] Under the same scenario code, AEV with pusher configuration travels 7.120 meters compare to puller configuration of 6.018 meters. Since AEV with pusher configurations travels farther, it will consume less energy when traveling the same distance as the AEV with puller configurations.