Concept Screening Table:
Concept Scoring Table:
Criteria Description:
Stability- The stability of the AEV describes how balanced the AEV is on track and how much it wiggles, the more it wiggles and imbalanced it on on track, the less stable it is.
Aerodynamic- This describes the amount of air resistance acting on the AEV when in motion. The more surface area at the front view of the AEV, the aerodynamics can be expected to be worse. The smoothness of the AEV surface also affects the aerodynamics. A hood for example, provides a smoother surface at the front of the AEV, which improves the aerodynamics.
Weight- The estimated weight of the AEV according to materials used. The lighter the AEV, the higher the rating.
Safety- This describes the overall safety of the AEV. Factors that affect the safety are: stability, balance, number of parts, wire management, and placement of components.
Practicality- This describes the utility of the AEV. For example, the number of passengers the AEV can carry and the mobility of the AEV.
Overall Design- This mainly describes the aesthetic of the AEV. The more modern and distinctive looking the AEV is, the higher the rating. This is more of a subjective category.
Durability- This describes the AEV’s ability to withstand long periods of wear or damage.
Structural Support- This describes the overall rigidness of the AEV and whether the parts are mounted and attached correctly.
Pros and Cons:
Kyle Kline:
Pros:
Wings were added to each side to provide more practicality and balance to the AEV which yields better stability. The hood provides better aerodynamics which can improve energy consumption and efficiency.
Cons:
There will be additional cost when building the AEV because of the additional parts such as the hood. Due to the addition of the hood and wings, the weight of the AEV increases.
Ryan Goh:
Pros:
Due to its minimalist design and only an addition of a hood, this AEV is one of the lightest. The hood also provides better aerodynamics and it looks more aesthetically pleasing.
Cons:
There will be additional cost when building the AEV because of the additional parts such as the hood. The AEV lacks safety and stability due to the placement and position of the battery. The battery is placed vertically which means that the center of mass of the AEV is higher above the ground.
Yibo Zhao:
Pros:
The base of the AEV has a total of three rectangular plates that provides better practicality and utility which means that the AEV is capable of carrying more passengers. The AEV also has the arm attached exactly middle at the middle which provides ample amount of stability.
Cons:
The AEV lacks durability and structural support due to the number of parts used and also due to the placement of parts. The battery is placed vertically and is attached to the arm which means that the center of mass of the AEV is higher above the ground. This means that the AEV can be unstable when there is movement.
L.B. Ali:
Pros:
Wings were added to each side to provide more practicality and balance to the AEV which yields better stability. The hood provides better aerodynamics which can improve energy consumption and efficiency. The T-shaped arm is placed right at the middle which provides better stability and balance.
Cons:
The addition of the hood and wings may increase the cost and the weight of the AEV.
Decision:
For the Concept Screening, the Team Design had the highest score of 6 while Ryan’s, Kyle’s, and L.B. Ali’s design had a tied score of 3 which is the second highest score. For the Concept Scoring method, L.B. ali’s design and the Team Concept Design had the top 2 highest ratings. Therefore, the two AEV concepts that will be carried forward are L.B. Ali’s design and the Team Concept Design due to their safety and practicality features.