This page contains every AEV design used from the beginning of development to the final AEV design.
1. Mark I (sample AEV)
This AEV model was the very first model. This model was given by the Instructional team as an example of an AEV.
2. Mark II
The Mark II was the first AEV model developed by the team. It was created after the preliminary concept screening and scoring was completed. This model was used throughout a majority of the Preliminary Research and Development, as well as the Advanced Research and Development phase.
3. Mark III
Introduced during Performance Test 1, the Mark III took a very different approach than the Mark II. The Mark III outperformed the previous AEV models during Performance Test 1.
4. Final Product – Mark IV
After completion of Performance Test 1, a modified version of the Mark III resulted in Mark IV. The Mark IV is visually similar to the Mark III, however, there is a slight variation in the placement of the components. Also, notably different is the use of a different arm for the AEV wheels.
Isometric View of the Mark IV
Side View of the Mark IV
Side View of the Mark IV
Final Design Support
A scoring matrix was used to prove that the Mark IV was the best design from the entire design process. The matrix is shown below. The matrix shows that the Mark IV scored 4.50 points, which is higher than all the other scores of 4.30, 3.85, and 2.75. The criteria for obtaining the score were weight, stability, cost, aerodynamics, and appearance. These categories were all weighted differently based on the prioritized factors.
The final design proved to be successful with a final run time of 45 seconds average after two tests, with a power consumption of around 278 Joules. This data was then used to calculate the total cost of the AEV which turned out to be around $582,000, only $82,000 over budget. The plot below displays the data from the final testing runs 1 and 2.
