Lab 01: Creative Design Thinking
This lab was done to begin the creative process for the group. The group designed their own concept sketches and then a final team design. This was done to being thinking about what designs we might want to build for final testing.
Lab 2 – Arduino Programming Basics
This lab taught the group about the basics for operating the Arduino board and the Arduino code. The group created the code using commands like goFor, celerate, motorSpeed, brake, and reverse. These codes can be uploaded to the Arduino to move the AEV in whatever way is decided by the code. The whole point of the code is that to run the AEV, the team needed to create a code to tell the AEV how to move. This would be expanded upon in other Labs.
Arduino Board
Lab 3 – Concept Screening and Scoring
When deciding on a final design, using a screening and scoring matrix allows the group to choose baised on whatever you deicide is important for the AEV. The group made a screening and scoring matrix and choose the group design from the four designs made in Lab 01. This was from then on, the base of the final design we will use for testing.
Screening Matrix
| Success Criteria | Reference | Design 1 | Design 2 | Design 3 | Design 4 |
| Balanced Around Turns | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| Aerodynamics | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| Center-of-gravity location | 0 | + | – | 0 | – |
| Maintenance | 0 | + | – | + | – |
| Durability | 0 | – | – | 0 | + |
| Cost | 0 | + | – | + | – |
| Weight | 0 | – | – | – | – |
| Theme | 0 | – | + | 0 | + |
| Sum +’sSum 0’s
Sum –’s |
08
0 |
33
2 |
10
7 |
24
2 |
20
6 |
| Net Score | 0 | 1 | -6 | 0 | -4 |
| Continue? | Combine | Yes | No | No | No |
Scoring Matrix
| A Reference | Design 1 | Design 2 | Design 3 | Design 4 | |||||||
| Success Criteria | Weight | Rate | Weight | Rate | Weight | Rate | Weight | Rate | Weight | Rate | Weight |
| Balance Around Turns | 10% | 3 | 0.3 | 3 | 0.3 | 1 | 0.1 | 3 | 0.3 | 2 | 0.2 |
| Aerodynamics | 20% | 3 | 0.6 | 3 | 0.6 | 1 | 0.2 | 3 | 0.6 | 2 | 0.4 |
| Center-of-gravity | 20% | 3 | 0.6 | 4 | 0.8 | 2 | 0.8 | 3 | 0.6 | 2 | 0.4 |
| Maintenance | 15% | 3 | 0.45 | 4 | 0.6 | 1 | 0.15 | 4 | 0.6 | 2 | 0.3 |
| Durability | 10% | 3 | 0.3 | 2 | 0.2 | 2 | 0.2 | 3 | 0.3 | 4 | 0.4 |
| Cost | 5% | 3 | 0.15 | 4 | 0.2 | 1 | 0.05 | 4 | 0.2 | 2 | 0.1 |
| Weight | 15% | 3 | 0.45 | 2 | 0.3 | 1 | 0.15 | 1 | 0.15 | 2 | 0.3 |
| Theme | 5% | 3 | 0.15 | 1 | 0.05 | 5 | 0.25 | 3 | 0.15 | 4 | 0.2 |
| Total Score | 2.7 | 3.05 | 1.9 | 2.9 | 2.3 | ||||||
| Continue? | No | Develop | No | No | No | ||||||
Lab 4 – External Sensors
External sensors are used to specify position of the AEV retaliative to the spinning of the wheels. The sensors allow the group to use the goToRealitivePosition and goToAbsolutePosition commands, which determines the distance that the AEV can travel. The group found these commands to be more effective for the Arduino code instead of just the goFor command.
Reflective Sensors
Lab 5 – System Analysis 1
Propulsion efficiency is important to the overall efficiency of the AEV’s run. The group tested different types of propellers using a wind tunnel. Using the data collected, the group decided that the 3030 puller is the best of the propellers.
Power v Thrust
Efficiency v Advance Ratio
Lab 6 – System Analysis 2
This lab was done to convert Arduino code into physical parameters that can be calculated into energy used. Using MATLAB, the group converted the Arduino data after a run into physical parameters. These can be calculated into data that can describe the effectiveness of the run. This helps the group create the most effective code.
Power v Time
Phase Breakdown
| Phase | Arduino Code | Distance(m) | Time(seconds) | Energy (J) |
| 1 | motorSpeed(4,25); goFor(2); | 0.62 | 2.04 | 12.97 |
| 2 | motorSpeed(4,20); goToAbsolutePosition(394); | 4.33 | 5.88 | 28.46 |
| 3 | reverse(4); | 0.13 | 0.18 | 1.92 |
| 4 | motorSpeed(4,30); brake(4); | 0.36 | 1.32 | 9.55 |
| Total Energy | 52.90 |
Lab 07- Design Analysis Tool
This lab was done to teach the team about how to use Matlab to create a graph and collect data to analyze the performance of the AEV. The team started by doing a test run of the AEV, afterwards the run was uploaded to Matlab using the Matlab Graphical User Interface (GUI). This interface allowed the team to use the AEV Analysis Tool which took the data in the AEV and created both a Power v Time and a Power v Distance Graph. The data for distances, times, current, voltage, power, and energy were also stored in the graph created. These graphs and data can be used by the team to effectively see the total efficiency of the AEV. This will be used in most of the future labs as it is the best way to compare changes made to the AEV.
The team wrote 4 individual executive summaries for this lab:
Charles: Lab 07-Cartwright
Mark: Lab 07- Lynch
Micheal: Lab 07- Cloonan
Yu:
Graphs:
Power v Time
Power v Distance
