Mechanical Systems

Owned by Catherine Cai
Last updated: Nov 20, 2021
3 min read

2021-11-10:

Goal: Break down all Mechanical Systems

2021-11-20

Goal:

  • identify which items need more research

  • Add items that we will need to research

Legend:

Green Highlight - Created a task in the “/research task” page

Aerobody

Body Design

  • Bullet vs. Catamaran Design

    • From Aaron’s Exploration:

      • Bullet would be harder to manufacture and would be harder to design internal component

    • Catamaran

      • Would be a bit easier to manufacture due to the style and design

      • More flat panel

    • Note: Past Challenger Class Winners are mainly catamaran style vehicles

      • Bullet designs are more successful in 3-wheel competitions

      • Catamaran designs are more successful in 4-wheel competitions

    • Avoid complex curves (maybe not possible?)

  • Faring Shifting

    • Note: priorities of the vehicle (i.e. robust car, manufacturability vs. top vehicle)

    • shifting the aerobody based on wind

  • Downforce in Aerobody vs. Drag

  • Unknowns

    • What angle of bend can be designed for the solar array to be effective/not break?

    • Theory and understanding:

      • finding resources and General software tools for CFD, FEA, Surfacing, CAD

Panel Design

  • Try to have more flat panels for manufacturability

  • Avoid complex curves, unless breaking them into smaller shapes

  • Reusing molds/mold life cycle from larger molds

    • do not use this to justify building bigger molds

  • Unknown:

    • What are canopy designs?

Manufacturing Method

  • Mold Material will depend on material acquisition and sponsor facilities

    • Foam

  • Infusion and/or Wet lay

    • No prepreg

    • Vacuum bagging

  • Note: need to consider thermoforming

  • Unknowns

    • What are the limitations of each manufacturing method (wet layup, infusion, etc.)?

    • How to manufacture complex curves?

    • What are the methods of manufacturing canopies and see through panels (i.e. Thermoforming, etc.)?

    • How to make a mold for various methods (foam, fiberglass, MDF, aluminum etc.)?

    • How do panel integrations work? I.e. connecting parts, potentially mounting parts?

      • (We have plenty of Confluence pages for this!)

      • What are fasteners inserts for aero panels?

      • Panel-panel, panel-chassis integrations?

Dynamics

Steering

  • Dependencies:

    • Where Driver is located (Centered, toward one side)

    • Chassis style/design impacts where the wheels are, turning radius, etc.

      • position of wheel

    • Traditional Mechanical Steering or Steering by Wire

      • For the interest of learning, should keep Mechanical Steering

      • Steering by wire is easier

    • Shape of the catamaran

Suspension

  • Dependencies

    • Driver location

    • Motors are heavier - will cause more load on the suspension

  • Design consideration for Bullet/Catamaran

    • Having a rear axle to accommodate motor

Wheels

  • Sticking with 4 wheels due to not knowing if ASC will change the regulations

    • More stable

  • Potentially can salvage wheels from MSXIV

    • Wheels

    • Rims

    • Wheel hubs?

    • etc.

    • To review all remaining components

  • Impacts the Bullet/Catamaran shape

Brakes

  • Review past Dynamics components to see if things can be reused

  • Brakes research

    • pressure required in brake tubes

  • Specifications for brakes

  • Requires parking brake (mechanically different from disc brakes i.e. separate system)

 

Unknowns:

  • We don’t know enough about dynamics systems: need a theory foundation

    • Options

      • We start a ground up research of the subsystems for dynamics?

      • Or, we look around at what is available for the vehicle?

  • What are the areas of research for Dynamics?

    • i.e. break down Dynamics even further

    • How many types of systems are in the subsystems of Dynamics? Come up with a list

      • Priority: steering/farings design, etc.

  • Review if past Dynamics components to see if things can be reused? (this is more about design)

    • Wheels/Rims - this may be a constraint for the next vehicle

    • Motors

    • etc.

 

Chassis

  • Space Frame Chassis vs. Monocoque

    • Monocoque may be too difficult if not flat panels, and ensure being structurally sound

    • Space frame chassis is verifiable and easier to manufacture

    • Sticking with Space Frame Chassis

Unknowns:

  • What are the advantages of various types of tubing for the chassis?

  • What are the types of materials that can be used for the tubing? Price, applications, etc.?

  • What type of designs are out there for chassis?

  • What type of packaging constraints do we have? Occupancy cell, packaging dimensions, etc.?

Solar

Unknowns:

  • How much of the previous array can be used?

    • Formation

Battery

Cells:

  • May want to stick with 18650

  • Cell testing if can acquire samples of other cells

Modules:

  • 1 large module and have 2-3 to switch out

Energy & Capacity

  • To design based on weight limit

Goal:

  • Sell MJ1s possibly?