The design process involved a lot of experimentation and tests in order to discover the best possible design to accomplish our goals.
Original Design:
The design was considered due to its lightweight nature and simplicity. Upon testing, however, the design proved to have a few flaws. The first being that that the wires were congested to an area near the propellers. This caused a hazard that threatened the safety of the AEV. The other flaw was unbalanced design. The design would tilt toward the arduino wing, and this caused a breach in security and consistency.
Modified Base Design:
The modified base was created to simultaneously reduce cluster and weight. The design was laser cut and its simplicity allowed for the components (battery and arduino) to be placed along the AEV’s center of mass. This design ensured a balanced AEV and an elimination of the hazardous wire layout of the previous design.
Final Design:
The final changed involved the movement of the wheels to the other side of the arm. This allowed the AEV the opportunity to use the pull method on the way to the loading zone, while using the push method on its way back. The push method is much more efficient and powerful, so it made more sense for this method to be used when carrying the heavier caboose. This decision proved critical in the team’s ability to produce a rather low energy output in the final performance test.