On 4/01/2019, Team O met in Hitchcock 308 from 8:00 to 8:55 am to discuss aR&D 3 and performance test 3. It was attended by Paige Steffen, Megan Myers, Ryan Devolve, and Brian Higinbotham. Due to the issues discussed previously with the code, the code was switched to marks. This was done by analyzing how far the AEV needed to go for each change in line of code. The code was changed to absolute marks as opposed to relative marks to increase consistency. From the code change, the aR&D 3 was decided to determine the cost difference between coasting and power braking. This testing will take place on 4/3 and 4/5.
On 4/03/2019, Team O met in Hitchcock 308 from 8:00 to 8:55 am to discuss aR&D 3. It was attended by Paige Steffen, Megan Myers, Ryan Devolve, and Brian Higinbotham. The coasting part of aR&D 3 was tested. This consisted of completing the code for performance test 2 in marks with coasting to a stop at the gate and when attaching to the caboose. This was tested five times. The graphs were then compiled to take the average time and energy.
On 4/05/2019, Team O met in Hitchcock 224 from 8:00 to 9:20 am to discuss aR&D 3. It was attended by Paige Steffen, Megan Myers, Ryan Devolve, and Brian Higinbotham. The power braking part of aR&D 3 was tested. This consisted of completing the code for performance test 2 in marks with power braking for stopping at both the gate and the caboose attachment. The proper power level to brake at was tested first in order to determine the proper stopping. Five tests were completed and the time and energy were averaged to determine which braking method was more cost efficient.
On 4/08/2019, Team O met in Hitchcock 308 from 8:00-8:55 am to discuss the final performance test. It was attended by Paige Steffen, Megan Myers, Ryan Devolve, and Brian Higinbotham. The braking type for the AEV was determined as mix between power braking and coasting. This allowed for more flexibility in what we wanted the AEV to do. The final half of the track was coded for by reversing the marks used for the first half with an adjustment for the location of the gate. Power percentages were also experimented with due to the addition of the caboose, which made it more difficult for the AEV to travel. It was decided to then bring that power percentage over 50. Once the track was all coded the AEV was ran multiple times to determine if it was ready.
On 4/10/2019, Team O met in Hitchcock 308 from 8:00-8:55 am to complete the final performance test. It was attended by Paige Steffen, Megan Myers, Ryan Devolve, and Brian Higinbotham. The first and second runs of the final performance test were completed after a period of last minute changes of the code. Some of the power percentages needed to be changed to accommodate for the differing conditions of that day. The first run was then done to completion with no errors in the AEV, earning a perfect score. The second run encountered a mishap due to the wearing down of the battery from the high power percentages. This led to the AEV not making it back up the incline once it was attached to the caboose. This caused Brian Higinbotham to have to move the AEV to the gate and then hold it while it tried to go through the gate before it was open. This caused a loss of points and also caused the AEV to run a good deal longer and with much more energy than the previous run
On 4/12/2019, Team O met in Hitchcock 224 from 8:00-9:20 am to complete the final performance test. It was attended by Paige Steffen, Megan Myers, Ryan Devolve, and Brian Higinbotham. The third run of the final performance test was completed after a portion of time was spent changing the code based on the differing conditions in another room. This included the changing of different power levels including the power for the AEV going uphill with the caboose and the change of the braking mechanism at the final section of the track from power braking to coasting. The third run was completed successfully with full credit and it was the best run both in terms of energy used and time due to the change of the code at the final section to coasting.