Meeting 1 – January 18th, 2018 at 10:00 pm
Attendees – Grant Gursky and Kyle Ackermann
Location – Morrison Tower Lobby
Topics
- Website Development – Kyle
- Complete profile information
- Rider needs a picture
- All need to assign roles
- Grant – Lead Modeler
- Rider – Lead Programmer
- Kyle – Lead Designer
- Complete approach
- What is this project about? DRPIE
- Communicate with company to correct mistakes.
- Initially the website was groups EPHG
- Complete profile information
- Basic AEV design ideas – Grant
- Single propeller or Dual propeller
- Decision: Dual Propeller due to stability and possible efficiency (needs to be tested)
- Braking mechanism
- Decision: Not necessary if we get the coasting correct
- Improved wheels
- Decision: Testing required / possible exchange for another set
- 3D printed parts / Laser cut parts
- Decision: Will have to prototype a body design but will design and produce a new body, decreasing weight – improving efficiency
- Aesthetics
- Decision: Unnecessary – will add weight and vehicle isn’t moving fast enough nor far enough for aerodynamics to have an effect
- Single propeller or Dual propeller
- Program Design – Kyle and Grant
- Acceleration aggression
- Will a violent acceleration expend too much energy/ disturb cargo?
- Run motors / When to Coast
- Will it be a gradual, slow start up with the motors running the whole time or a pulse of the motors with the vehicle coasting
- Decision: Testing required but large pulse with vehicle coasting may be the most efficient design
- Will it be a gradual, slow start up with the motors running the whole time or a pulse of the motors with the vehicle coasting
- Acceleration aggression
Upcoming Tasks
Grant – Begin understanding the complexities of Solidworks Assemblies and 3D Modeling. Help Kyle with the initial design or the AEV. Brainstorm design for AEV. Find out ways to test the different aspects (may require an apparatus)
Kyle – Begin creating concept drawings for AEV designs/ testing different aspects of the design. Help Grant with modeling direction. Brainstorm design for AEV. Make sure group is competing tasks on time.
Rider – Begin working with the program used to program the arduino. Create programs for testing efficiency. Brainstorm design for AEV. Keep website up to date.
Meeting 2 – January 26th, 2018 at 4:00 pm
Attendees – Grant Gursky, Rider Osentoski, and Kyle Ackermann
Location – Hitchcock 224
Topics
- AEV Design – All
- All three members submitted designs (which can be viewed within our company website
- Varied in design, decision matrices will be needed as well as further testing.
- Decision: To be determined with real-world testing
- Varied in design, decision matrices will be needed as well as further testing.
- All three members submitted designs (which can be viewed within our company website
- AEV Testing – Rider
- Figured out how to properly work the testing program, creating graphs displaying power input vs time or distance.
- Will be used later on for testing two semifinal designs.
- Discovered issues pertaining to the polarity of our motors (are inverse, or they pull air when they should push it, making the AEV travel in the opposite direction as desired)
- Replaced parts that are damaged to ensure efficiency.
- Figured out how to properly work the testing program, creating graphs displaying power input vs time or distance.
Upcoming Tasks
Grant – Model semifinal/final design in Solidworks as well as physical sketches. Produce one in a timely manner to ensure deadlines are being met. Analyze which motor configurations are most efficient/effective.
Kyle – Build the required models for upcoming testing. Communicate any technical drawing issues to Grant.
Rider – Continue becoming familiar with programming, understanding what code combinations are most efficient. Meet testing requirements.
Meeting 3 – February 2, 2018 at 4:00 pm
Attendees – Grant Gursky, Rider Osentoski, and Kyle Ackermann
Location – Hitchcock 224
Topics
- AEV Design decision- All members
- Using a Screening matrix, it was decided that grant’s AEV would be chosen to build.
- Problems
- The fans would intersect so it was necessary to modify the original design.
- This added weight to the design, making the design worse
- Looked at more specific parts of the design
- Aerodynamics, efficiency, aesthetics
Upcoming Tasks
Grant – Create a more detailed design of the AEV that has been built
Kyle – Brainstorm ways to improve the current design or possibly start from scratch with a new design entirely
Rider – Begin writing code to test the new design
Meeting 4 – February 9, 2018 at 4:00 pm
Attendees – Grant Gursky, Rider Osentoski, and Kyle Ackermann
Location – Hitchcock 224
Topics
- Progress Report – All Members
- Completed progress reflected on the progress from weeks 1-4 while providing insight to upcoming plans.
- Preliminary R&D’s purpose was for familiarization with software and hardware. Additionally, introductions to data analysis was provided. Before Advanced testing, preliminary designs were created.
- Advanced R&D focuses in on testing specific aspects of an AEV. For example, our group will be analyzing the effects of motor quantity. Collecting data for power vs distance, conclusions can be drawn, determining if 1 or 2 motors is more advantageous.
- Completed progress reflected on the progress from weeks 1-4 while providing insight to upcoming plans.
- AEV Design decision for motor configuration testing – All members
- The group settled on a design that could incorporate both one and two motors easily
- Data collection
- Conducted 4 trials on the sloped track using 2 motors and plotted the data to see results.
- Problems
- The fans would intersect each other so it was necessary to modify the original design, but only slightly. This modification did not add any additional weight.
Upcoming Tasks
All – Conduct trials using only one motor on the same frame and compare results to a dual motor configuration.
All – Consider the benefits and constraints of using 1 motor vs 2 and 3 motors
Meeting 5 – February 15, 2018 at 8:00 pm
Attendees – Grant Gursky, Rider Osentoski, and Kyle Ackermann
Location – Scott Traditions
Topics
- Team Working Agreement – All members
- Work on the typed out final draft of the Team working agreement.
- Have all members agree to the terms and conditions and submit it.
- Work on the typed out final draft of the Team working agreement.
- Grant proposal – All members
- Finalize an idea to create and use to improve our AEV
- Made design in SolidWorks (Didn’t work)
- Propose to purchase a part
- Easier, inexpensive, and better precision.
- Prepare slide for in class presentation
- Emphasis on time savings, how its advantageous, and why others should vote for us.
- Finalize an idea to create and use to improve our AEV
- Go over what everyone’s roles are and overview what will be talked about at the Committee meeting.
- Grant – HR – Talk about team work and issues
- Kyle – R&D – Talk about modeling and building
- Rider – PR – Talk about website development
Upcoming Tasks
All – Committee meeting 1 completion
All – Prepare for experimenting with one propeller in lab and Grant Proposal
Meeting 6– February 23, 2018 at 3:55 pm
Attendees – Grant Gursky, Rider Osentoski, and Kyle Ackermann
Location – Hitchcock 224
Topics
- Advanced Research and Development Testing – All Members
- Motor Quantity
- Determining whether one or two motors are more energy efficient
- Tested on the official testing track, one and two motors were consistently powered for 3 seconds, recording power used in Joules and distance. Five tests were completed for each motor quantity and data was compiled. An average in Joules per meter was used for comparison.
- Initial Conclusion: Two motors seem slightly more efficient
- Tested on the official testing track, one and two motors were consistently powered for 3 seconds, recording power used in Joules and distance. Five tests were completed for each motor quantity and data was compiled. An average in Joules per meter was used for comparison.
- Determining whether one or two motors are more energy efficient
- Push vs. Pull Thrust
- Determining whether the motors “pushing” the AEV or “pulling” the AEV was better in power efficiency.
- Similarly to the testing of motor quantity, both one and two motors were tested in each configuration, using the same code as the previous test as well. This was recorded in Joules per meter and used for comparison.
- Initial Conclusion: Pulling is better suited for two motors while pushing is better suited for one.
- Similarly to the testing of motor quantity, both one and two motors were tested in each configuration, using the same code as the previous test as well. This was recorded in Joules per meter and used for comparison.
- Determining whether the motors “pushing” the AEV or “pulling” the AEV was better in power efficiency.
- Motor Quantity
Meeting 7– March 2, 2018 at 3:55 pm
Attendees – Grant Gursky, Rider Osentoski, and Kyle Ackermann
Location – Hitchcock 224
Topics
- Presentation of Advanced Research and Development – All Members
- Completed Presentation elaborating on the conclusions of the chosen topics
- How motor quantity affects efficiency
- Pushing with one or two motors, there was very little effect on power efficiency
- 39.94188884 J/m vs 39.50835734 J/m
- Pushing with one or two motors, there was very little effect on power efficiency
- How pushing vs pulling affects efficiency
- Pulling was more efficient with two motors than pushing with two motors
- 36.47032432 J/m vs 39.50835734 J/m
- Pulling with one motor was vastly inefficient when compared to push trials
- 62.27745558 J/m vs 39.94188884 J/m
- Pulling was more efficient with two motors than pushing with two motors
- Other Observations
- Two motors had a lower standard deviation than one motor
- 0.03565463504 m vs 0.04763877622 m
- Two motors are more versatile, consistent in pushing and pulling
- Two motors are less susceptible to track variances
- Two motors had a lower standard deviation than one motor
- How motor quantity affects efficiency
- Completed Presentation elaborating on the conclusions of the chosen topics
- Taking the data collected, as well as data presented by other groups and incorporating it into our design.
- Final AEV most likely will include
- Two motors initially pushing
- Use absolute distance instead of time for length determination.
- Final AEV most likely will include
Meeting 8– March 9, 2018 at 3:55 pm
Attendees – Grant Gursky, Rider Osentoski, and Kyle Ackermann
Location – Hitchcock 224
Topics
- AEV rebuild – Kyle
- moved the arduino so it would be far enough away from the magnet.
- The battery holder was also moved
- Allowed for more even weight distribution
- Performance Test Code- Rider
- Code was created for the performance test, Distance was used opposed to time
- Reflective Sensor testing- All members
- It was found that one of the sensors was not functional
Upcoming Tasks
All – begin writing CDR
All – Furthr perfect proper stopping distance for PT1
Meeting 9– March 19, 2018 at 4:10 pm
Attendees – Grant Gursky, Rider Osentoski, and Kyle Ackermann
Location – Hitchcock 308
Topics
- Performance Test 1 – All
- Continue preparation for PT1
- Run Performance Test 1
Upcoming Tasks
All – begin writing CDR
All – Prepare for Performance Test 2
Meeting 10– March 21, 2018 at 4:10 pm
Attendees – Grant Gursky, Rider Osentoski, and Kyle Ackermann
Location – Hitchcock 308
Topics
- Performance Test 2 Prep – All
- Began testing docking with the caboose.
- Experimented with program flow control.
Upcoming Tasks
All – begin writing CDR
All – Continue preparing for Performance Test 2.
Meeting 11– March 23, 2018 at 3:55 pm
Attendees – Grant Gursky, Rider Osentoski, and Kyle Ackermann
Location – Hitchcock 224
Topics
- Continued Performance Test 2 Prep – All
- Further numbers adjustments
Upcoming Tasks
All – begin writing CDR
All – Continue preparing for Performance Test 2
Meeting 12– March 25, 2018 at 7:30 pm
Attendees – Grant Gursky, Rider Osentoski, and Kyle Ackermann
Location – Morrison Tower Lobby
Topics
- Concept Design Review – All
- Write the CDR Draft
Upcoming Tasks
All – Continue preparing for Performance Test 2.
Meeting 13– March 26, 2018 at 4:10 pm
Attendees – Grant Gursky, Rider Osentoski, and Kyle Ackermann
Location – Hitchcock 308
Topics
- Continue Performance Test 2 Prep – All
- Further adjust numbers.
- Further test flow control.
Upcoming Tasks
All – Continue Preparing for Performance Test 2.
Meeting 14– March 27, 2018 at 4:10 pm
Attendees – Grant Gursky, Rider Osentoski, and Kyle Ackermann
Location – Hitchcock 224
Topics
- Performance Test 2 Prep – All
- Reevaluate the process of going about the test.
- Redesign AEV program.
Upcoming Tasks
All – Perform Performance Test 2
Meeting 15– March 28, 2018 at 4:10 pm
Attendees – Grant Gursky, Rider Osentoski, and Kyle Ackermann
Location – Hitchcock 308
Topics
- Performance Test 2 – All
- Continue Preparing for Performance Test 2.
- Perform Performance Test 2.
Upcoming Tasks
All – Prepare for Final Test.
All – Attend Committee Meeting 2.
Meeting 16– March 30, 2018 at 3:55 pm
Attendees – Grant Gursky, Rider Osentoski, and Kyle Ackermann
Location – Hitchcock 224
Topics
- Final Test Prep – All
- Refine program design to complete the Final Test.
- Adjust numbers.
- Redesign AEV- Grant & Kyle
- AEV was changed to be more balanced and, therefore, efficient.
- Committee Meeting 2- All
- PR- Rider
- R&D- Kyle
- HR- Grant
Upcoming Tasks
All – Prepare for Final Test
All – Begin Progress Report 3
All – Begin Final Presentation
Meeting 17– April 2, 2018 at 4:10 pm
Attendees – Grant Gursky, Rider Osentoski, and Kyle Ackermann
Location – Hitchcock 308
Topics
- Final Test Prep – All
- Further refine program and adjust values for the Final Test.
Upcoming Tasks
All – Prepare for Final Test
All – Begin Progress Report 3
All – Begin Final Presentation
Meeting 18– April 4, 2018 at 4:10 pm
Attendees – Grant Gursky, Rider Osentoski, and Kyle Ackermann
Location – Hitchcock 308
Topics
- Final Test Prep – All
- Further refine program and adjust values for the Final Test.
Upcoming Tasks
All – Prepare for Final Test
All – Begin Final Presentation
Meeting 19– April 8, 2018 at 4:30 pm
Attendees – Grant Gursky, Rider Osentoski, and Kyle Ackermann
Location – Hitchcock 324
Topics
- Final Presentation – All
- Work on the Final Presentation Draft
Upcoming Tasks
All – Prepare for Final Test