Noah Sheridan – AEV design 1
The design abandoned the original design and opted for a weight focused design. Any unnecessary surface area is eliminated as the main components are mounted on a singular piece of plastic. The motors and propellers are placed at either end and facing opposite to each other. This design allows for a quick change of direction at the sacrifice of power output. With the weight reduced, the speed of the vehicle will not be severely affected.
Jimmy Eisenhauer – AEV design 2
The design retained a basic overall shape compared to the original design. The side wings have been removed and a flat design was opted for instead. The motors are mounted below the AEV allowing for an increase in surface area on the top of the AEV. Battery and Arduino board are also mounted on bottom and spaced for an effective balance and decrease to drag on upper portion.
Jarrod Hallemann AEV Design 3
A simple rendition of the original design provided at the beginning of the trials. Dimensions remain the same at 5 in by 7 in and retaining the 2 in by 1 in wings on the side that hold the motors. The original design had the vehicle back heavy and dipping down. The main arm was chosen to be moved back to the Arduino mounting position and the underneath battery holder moved to the front of the design in order to counteract the imbalance of the original design.
Hunter Danford AEV Design 4
This design utilized elements from design 2 as it uses the flat system to reduce drag and increase the upper surface area. A rounded nose allows for superior airflow above the other designs and the best aerodynamics of the set. The motors are mounted below the AEV in addition with added elements of a rounded front, again for superior airflow. Any unnecessary material is cut away in order to reduce the overall weight of the design.
Grant Proposal Design – Design 5
The design utilized elements very similar to design 2 in terms of aesthetic appeal and overall board design. The motor clamps are to be integrated into the design of the body, and inserted into the designated spaces. The design also includes an integrated battery holder at the front of the design to counteract the overpowering downward force in the back of the design. The design is proposed to be constructed out of PLA plastic, which would reduce the weight of the design.
The design above is the second rendition of AEV Design 5. The new design includes a modified battery holder to properly contain the battery without change of the overall design. A piece of unused space is cut out of the design in order to reduce weight further than what the previous iteration may have contained. Screw holes have been added for the surface modification of the AEV which would include attachment of the Arduino, Track arms, and other additions that may be needed.
Following preliminary research and development, the above concepts were scored based upon criteria depicted.
The criteria above determined to pursue Design 5. The criteria determined the prospective weight, balance, and other points. In the chart above, each value is considered with equal weight and labeled with a +, -, or 0 based on a consensus by the team as to whether a certain design has the feature and what its perceived effects would be. 0 is to represent the control, which is the original design of the AEV. With the selection of Design 5, its newly 3D printed aspect would allow for a reduction of weight due to the lighter PLA plastic material the part is to be made out of.
The chart above uses the criteria elements again to pursue a design of choice. The criteria is weighted in accordance to importance and relevance in how it may affect the AEV in performance and execution. The designs are then voted by the team and labeled based upon levels 1-5, the higher the numbers, the better choice to pick. The designs were compared against the original (Reference) AEV and their characteristics examined. The design that was selected was Design Ji (Jimmy). In this case, design Ji is the exact same design as Design 5. Therefore, the printed Design 5 is the chosen candidate for construction of the group due to its difference in material being the lighter plastic PLA material. The use of this material allows for the creation of the custom design of Design 5 rather than being restricted to the already given plastic from the original kit.