v. Design Evolution

The Evolution of the Design for the AEV

After comparing each groups design to one another, the group decided to create the top two designs in SolidWorks. Below are the SolidWorks drawings for the top two ranked designs:

The follow is a series of designs, the designs were constantly changing in order to resolve problems that arose while testing the AEV.

Concept 1

The original concept (Fig. 1) was shaped so it had a similar silhouette to the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars. In the first iteration of this concept, the AEV required 80% power in order to move at all, making it significantly to heavy to be used for the project.

Concept 2

 

The second prototype created was identical to the first in every way, except it was a quarter of inch shorter. This was an attempt to maintain the integrity of the original idea while reducing the mass of the body. This prototype was still to heavy to move at 50% power, so the team decided to completely scrap the idea of the silhouette and jut attempt to build a light, energy efficient AEV.

Concept 3

This was the team’s first attempt at making an energy efficient AEV with no shape constraints. Although this prototype moved at 50% power, it was very bulky and not aesthetically pleasing. This led to the team attempting another design with the goal of reducing the size of the base.

Concept 4

This concept is the most recent prototype created by Team A. It is small, lightweight, and able to move at only 25% power. The balancing of the base needs to be slightly refined, but the concept will be the base for the final AEV.

 

Concept 5

In order to secure the caboose onto the previous concept, metal must be added to the front of the AEV in order to connect to the caboose. This design may be the final design if the group can figure out how to pull the caboose back to the gate.