The research and development completed by Team D in the labs were for good reason! Below you will find the culmination of our trials that led to the final design.
Propeller vs Wheel:
As shown here, The power usage for a propeller is much larger then the power usage for a wheel driven system.
Even with different coding, it is evident that the propeller(left) uses much more energy then the wheel(right).
This can be proven even more so compared across final runs within the company:
Final test run of Team D’s AEV
Here is the final run for another team in Bevis Devise Inc:
Creating a constant contact with the track was obtained by the suspension system. the suspension system was implemented to create a constant pressure between the wheel and the track even when going over the supports of the track or up the incline of the track. This was achieved through a double sided compression spring based system.
Issues and Complications:
Throughout testing, Team D found that issues from the dirt accumulating in the wheel reduced friction of the wheel on the track. This lead to issues in intended position. This was overcome with advanced coding techniques, a check to make sure even if the AEV passes its intended position it will brake and still stop no matter the conditions. This created a positional accuracy that was unmatched by any other AEV!
Tests showing the position accuracy:
A final issue was the connectivity between the metal plate and the magnet of the caboose. An iron plate was fabricated to reach the magnet position and increase the magnetic attraction between the magnet and the plate.