For the final performance test, the team added a mechanism to turn the fuel crank in order to complete the test. Team members designed a 3D printed part with a circular base and two prongs to fit inside the fuel crank, as shown below.
The part was screwed into a disk that attached to a Futaba servo motor. The motor was taped to three 2.5”x1.5” pieces of wood that were screwed onto the chassis to ensure that the mechanism was at the necessary height to spin the fuel crank. A picture of the robot in this stage is shown below.
While testing, the team noticed that the prongs on the fuel crank mechanism were hindering its ability to turn the crank when the robot was not exactly aligned. Thus, the team removed the prongs from the mechanism and added a rubber ping pong paddle cover to the disk for increased friction. This is depicted below.
The team also removed the electrical tape that was holding the servo motors in place and hot-glued them to the chassis. The robot is shown testing for Performance Test 4 below.
