During Performance Test 1 the team’s task was to test two different vehicle designs. The two designs the team tested were with and without a servo motor brake. With this said, the goal of this lab was to pick one design to move forward with. To help decide, the team with screening and scoring matrices as shown in tables 1 and 2.
After evaluating the matrices, the team elected to use the servo brake model instead of the other proposed models. This was ultimately due to the fact that the servo brake model performed better than its opponents in key categories of the screening and scoring charts. According to the scoring chart the model with the servo brake was observed to perform better than the others in the areas of environmental efficiency, control, and center of gravity. These were all key components of the MCR, and ensured that the group performed the task as efficient and successful as possible. Considering the improvements in these categories, the model with the servo implemented scored a total score of 3.40 while the other two concepts scored 3.55 and 2.725. Considering the benefits of the model, the team elected to neglect the fact that the regular X-wing model had a higher total score then the new proposed model. This is likely due to the fact that a servo would make the new model cost more, which is a category. Accordingly, it must also be noted that the group quickly abandoned the idea of the X-wing model without the wings, because although it would increase the efficiency, it would compromise the creative inspiration; an important feature to the group.