Week 12

In the final week of lab, Team F will attempt to successfully put their AEV to its final test. The team will be allowed two runs to showcase the vehicle on the classroom track and exemplify that it successfully completes the Mission Concept Review as stated in the lab documentation. They will be scored on the vehicle’s ability to begin at the starting block, come to a complete stop prior to the gate, remain stationary until the gate is lowered, continue on until coming to a gentle stop while attaching to the R2D2 unit, and making its way back to the starting position while stopping at the gate once more. Upon completion of this task, Team F will determine whether they require another run in an attempt to better improve their overall score for the assignment, being that the better of the two runs will be the score awarded to the team. Potential errors that could occur during the run that would result in loss of points include the vehicle not traveling far enough to trigger the gate or not traveling far enough to attach to the R2D2, crashing into the gate or the R2D2, and failing to return the R2D2 to the starting position after attachment. Not only does the vehicle have to meet the above stated requirements, it must also produce a low energy to mass ratio, being that one of the main objectives in this lab exercise was making an energy efficient vehicle. The team will be ready to test their final AEV upon entering into Week 12 as PT4 begins. They will have the entire lab week to perfect their design and program, though the majority of this semester-long project was completed in labs prior. It is imperative that the team completes the above stated tasks in a timely manner so that the AEV can be a successfully completed project and that the Mission Concept Review can be adequately addressed as stated.

Week 10

In Lab 10: Performance Test 3: Energy Optimization, Team F will complete a number of tasks so that they may determine which combinations of codes and physical designs will provide the most energy efficient option for the vehicle itself. The code must still complete the tasks as stated in the Mission Concept Review. Minor variations to both the software code and the vehicle design will be made throughout the lab setting so that multiple configurations may be analyzed. The team will first test the code that has been tweaked and varied in the previous lab week with the agreed upon vehicle design. The data from a run will then be analyzed and interpreted on a level involving energy. Upon completing these tasks, a different code will be tested based on the results from the first run. For example, if the previously tested code provides for an analysis that indicates the use of large amounts of energy, the team will work to reduce that energy usage in whatever ways possible, including reducing the weight of the AEV, using larger propellers, going slower around the track, etc. These testing and altering processes will be repeated until the team has settled on a code and design combination that provides for the most energy efficient AEV. It is imperative that the team complete these tasks as stated so that the mission concept review can be properly completed. It is stated in the MCR that the energy source is limited on the remote planet. Because of this, the team must focus on dwindling down the energy usage so that the most efficient AEV can be constructed.

Week 9

In Lab 09: Performance Test 2: Code, Team F will focus on the software component of the project. After having decided upon the team’s design, based off of Lab 08, the vehicle will then be utilized in order to test various coding methods. To do so, the team will develop criteria that they value in regards to the code performance. Such criteria include consistency, versatility, and efficiency. This will allow for a concept scoring matrix to be implemented and referred to in the decisions regarding changes in the team’s code. Should time permit, the team will test three separate code solutions, through a minimum of two programs will be analyzed in this lab period. Both codes must have the ability to complete the entire track layout, a criterion stated in the given mission concept review. Upon the analysis of each code, successful completion of the mission objectives will be evaluated through comparison of the previously performed concept scorings. It is important that the team effectively complete the aforementioned tasks so that they may begin to finalize the code that will serve as Team F’s program.

Week 8

During Lab 8: Performance Test 1 – Design, Team F will will now be responsible for delegating items to be completed and work together to complete a set of objectives. The team will develop two differing AEV designs to be tested in lab. The purpose of this task is to determine which AEV design is superior, in regards to energy usage and completion of the mission concept review. Because of this, the code will not be altered in any way so that the team may focus on the analysis of the design. In lab, the team will construct the first AEV according to the previously decided upon design. Upon doing so, this model will be tested and observations will be made in order to formulate and compose a scoring matrix, allowing the team to analyze the design on a quantitative level.  After this is complete, the same processes will be carried out, though this time with the second AEV design. After completing the concept scoring for the second design, the results of each scoring will be compared and contrasted in order to determine the AEV that exhibited the highest performance. With this information, the team will begin to develop a model that represents the agreed upon AEV. It is important that the team complete the above mentioned tasks so that they may begin to develop a plan for the final AEV design and can start to test the improved AEV with varying codes in upcoming labs.

Week 6

During Lab 06, Team F will complete a number of necessary tasks in order to maintain the progress and upkeep required for the AEV design and coding process. The single-most important thing that must be completed is that a running code must be established so that the AEV completes its run the way specified in the manual. For this to happen, the team will need to perform a number of test runs to establish the errors in the code, and then delegate based on those observations. It is important that this be completed so that the team has their final code ready to go, and so that they know that the AEV is capable of completing its necessary route in a smooth fashion. Another thing that must be completed in this lab setting is the team deciding upon additional parts needed. For instance, the team has decided that additional propellers should be ordered so that the AEV is capable of providing more power en route. In this lab, the team will discuss the requirements for additional pieces to be 3D printed, based off of the rapid prototyping assignment, completed in Solidworks 05. From there, the team will be able to finalize Solidworks designs and begin the 3D printing process.

Week 5

In Lab 05: Design Concepts: Screening and Scoring, Team F will begin to familiarize themselves with the techniques of the design decision making process as well as the structured method involved with these methods. Additionally, a sample code will be used to test the AEV on the track so that these methods may be utilized for a baseline reference. First, the team will build the AEV concept design that was decided upon during Lab 4. This AEV will need to be programmed to run on the straight track by using the coding guidelines provided in the lab manual. Then, criteria will be determined that the team believes will be beneficial in evaluating their design. These criteria, as well as the design concepts created in Lab 4,  will be evaluated in the concept screening process in order to define the criteria that will play a key role in the final success of the AEV. It is imperative that the team complete these tasks during the allotted time period so that they may further grow upon their ideas that will be implemented in the final AEV design, as well as develop successful ways of making decisions. This skill will be helpful in further lab settings should the team find themselves in a stressful situation in need of a decision. Another reason the team must complete these tasks is because it will be helpful to determine what the most successful AEV configuration will be so that they may attempt to recreate it as best as possible.

Week 4

In Lab 04: System Analysis 2 & Design Analysis Tool, Team F will be required to complete a number of activities. The team will develop a program that will be used for a test run and then analyze its performance through downloading the Arduino data and representing these findings in a graphical form. The team will make use of the Design Analysis Tool so that these data may be better examined. It is important that these items get completed because the team must learn to measure and evaluate the performance of their AEV. These data, whether it be positive or negative, can serve as an indication of what needs to be completed in the remaining design process. With various observations combined with the obtained data, proper modifications can be made. It is also imperative that the team make use of the Design Analysis Tool since it will save a large amount of time in regards to downloading data, performing calculations, and plotting results. By utilizing this, the team will develop a highly efficient method of evaluation for further use in the remainder of this project. The aforementioned tasks will be completed by writing the code, downloading the recorded data, converting these data to values such as time, current, voltage, distance, and position, and constructing the performance analysis, in their respective order.

Week 3

In Lab 03: Critical Design Thinking, Team F will perform a number of tasks. The lab activities consist of two main components. The first activity requires each team member to individually brainstorm their ideas of the AEV design and construction on an orthographical level. Each member’s sketches will be included in the following Progress Report. The second part of the lab is to discuss each team member’s ideas, as a group. These lab activities are imperative in the overall design process of the AEV since it will allow the team to compile a construction that is best suited for their project. Another reason why these activities will be completed is that the team will be able to become familiar with their abilities to brainstorm, allowing them to utilize these skills for further lab applications.  The first 10-15 minutes of the lab will be dedicated to the individual brainstorming, and another 15-20 minutes will be allotted for the compilation of the individual ideas. Upon completion of these tasks, the team will begin to construct the next Progress Report, should time allow.

Week 2

During Lab 02a: External Sensors & System Analysis 1, there are a number of tasks that Team F hopes to complete. The first duty is to acquaint the team members with both the components of the external sensor hardware as well as the various techniques of troubleshooting involved with this project. It is imperative to complete the before mentioned task so that the team may become familiar with the equipment and the tools that will be used throughout the remainder of the laboratory setting. To complete these tasks, the team must construct the sample AEV design, install and test the reflectance sensors, and begin to carry out sensor function calls such as goToRelativePostition(m), goToAbsolutePosition(m), as well as previous commands learned in the week prior. Once these actions have been taken, the team will demonstrate the ability of their program to run to an instructional team member so that they may receive constructive feedback on their program thus far.

In the second part of the lab, Lab 02b: System Analysis 1: Propulsion Efficiency, the team members are to familiarize themselves with propulsion system efficiency and the various testing equipment used in regards to the wind tunnel. They will then ponder the connections between AEVs to objects found in the real world, only to further relate wind tunnel testing to the AEV. The importance of students carrying out these task lies with the determination of the propellor type and configuration. By doing so, the most energy efficient operation can be achieved in the team’s AEV design. By relating the lab concepts to the outside world, students will begin to grasp the importance of creating efficient vehicles for consumers around the globe. In order to complete the above tasks, team members will analyze results obtained from the wind tunnel testing, including percent power, current, thrust scale reading, and RPM. With this, the team will then be able to determine factors such as power input, power available, propulsion efficiency, and propeller advance ratio. Finally, the students will determine the most energy efficient setting, noting that a propulsion efficient AEV requires low amounts of power from the battery while providing maximum propulsion efficiency.