Design
A two-motor design and one-motor design was implemented preceding Performance Test #1. The design with only one motor weighed less than the design with two motors. The team had originally thought that the use of only one motor would decrease the amount of Joules needed for each run since it was a lighter design and the initial energy usage was half of the two-motor design. To test the two designs, the same code was used and the GoFor(); command was implemented since the AbsolutePosition(); command proved to be inconsistent from room to room due to extraneous variables such as the different tracks and lighting. Using identical codes, the two-motor design made it up the hill and to the gate whereas the one-motor design did not make it up the hill at all. The time for the one-motor design was then increased to test if the design would just need more time to travel up the hill. Even with an increase of 17 seconds, the AEV did not make it up the hill. It was then concluded that the power would need to be increased from 30% to 35% for one-motor design to perform like the two-motor design. Below, the data comparing the two-motor design and one-motor design is shown. This data was collected from the test between the two designs under identical power conditions (30% power) but varying times. The one-motor design used 92.859 J whereas the AEV with two motors consumed 64.358 J.
Code
Looking ahead to Performance Test #2, the group wants to develop a code that was more consistent. The AEV was not performing in identical ways from day to day when the same code was used. The factor of the rooms being different was taken into account and the GoFor(); command will continued to be used to eliminate the variable of varying lighting. The team wanted to keep battery voltage consistent throughout the runs to eliminate a possible source of error. The code for the AEV traveling down the hill and connecting with the caboose needs to be developed. Since the group’s approach is to use a minimum amount of energy, coasting will be used as it was proved to consume less energy in the Advanced R&D by other groups. The group aims to connect the AEV with the caboose gently so that passengers will be safe. This means that the time for the AEV coasting down the hill will need to be exact and consistent so that it does not fall too short of the caboose or connect with too much speed.