1 / 16

Gravity Vehicle

Gravity Vehicle. Disclaimer. This PowerPoint is based on the DRAFT rules for Gravity Vehicle 2013. The rules may have changed. The rules and parameters in the 2013 Rules Manual is the final say.

seoras
Download Presentation

Gravity Vehicle

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Gravity Vehicle

  2. Disclaimer This PowerPoint is based on the DRAFT rules for Gravity Vehicle 2013. The rules may have changed. The rules and parameters in the 2013 Rules Manual is the final say.

  3. Goal: Construct a gravity powered vehicle and ramp to move the vehicle down a track as quickly, as accurately and as close to their predicted time as possible. • Two components • Vehicle • Ramp

  4. Competition • Track 5 – 10 m • 50 cm interval regionals • 10 cm at state • 1 cm at nationals • 50 cm wide x 75 cm deep x 200.0 cm high rectangular start box • Start Dot at center of box • Finish Dot perpendicular

  5. Scoring • Four components – Low Score Wins • Distance Score • Distance from the fixed point to the Target Point in millimeters. This is a point-to-point measurement. • Time Score • 25 * (Run Time). • Predicted Time Score • 50*(Predicted Time-Travel Time) • Height Score – NEW THIS YEAR • 400* Vehicle Height in cm/ (300 cm – Vehicle Height in cm)

  6. Construction rules • Vehicle • Total mass must not exceed 1.500 kg. • Bent paperclip as a fixed point (measurement point) on either the leftmost or the rightmost edge/face of vehicle between front and rear axles extending down to within 1.0 cm of track surface • Only wheels contact floor • Automated braking mechanism • Ramp • With vehicle loaded fit within 50 cm wide x 75 cm deep x 200 cm high box • Release mechanism activated by unsharpened #2 pencil

  7. General tips • Potential energy (u) = mgh • Maximize mass and height – maximize energy • Get fewer points • Minimize friction for speed

  8. Vehicle Construction • Major components • Chassis • Wheels • Braking mechanism • Axles • Bearings

  9. Chassis • Stiffness critical • Pay attention to joints • Carbon Rods (from arrows) • Wood • Good place to add weight • Design with braking mechanism in mind • Adjustable axle/bearing mounts • Steering

  10. Wheels Park-flyer style Aluminum hubbed MPI wheels • Thinner better for speed • More difficult to mount • Difficult to align • CD’s useful • Require special adapters for mounting • Rubber bands/balloons for traction

  11. Braking Mechanism • Threaded rod and wing nut (or tapped block)

  12. Axles • Critical Qualities • Stiffness, weight, ability to hold wheels/braking mechanism • Carbon Fiber Rods (From Arrows) • Smooth, light, stiff • Steel Threaded Rod • Easy to find, cheap, braking mechanisms, heavy • Aluminum Threaded Rod • Difficult to find, light, weak • Titanium Threaded Rod • Expensive (order online), stiff!, light

  13. Bearings • Simple or complicated • Tubes • Easy, cheap, use graphite, functional • Ball bearings • Reduce friction drastically, can get expensive • Ceramic hybrid best if willing to spend • May require some breaking in

  14. Ramp • Straight • Much easier to construct • Easier to transport • Not as efficient, • floor/ramp interface issues • Curved • Delivers energy much better • Winning team at Nationals will have one • Interesting math problem • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brachistochrone_curve

  15. Ramp materials • Frame • PVC pipes • Easy disassembly • Difficult to make curved ramp • Plywood/other wood • Heavy, difficult transportation • Surface • Particleboard, Masonite, others? • Lots of Skateboard ramp references online

  16. Sources for more obscure materials • Wheels • R/C plane wheels, MPI www.maxxprod.com/mpi/mpi-29.html, CD’s • Bearings • www.bocabearings.com , online, hobby shops, etc • Carbon fiber • Arrows, hobby shops, etc • Titanium • Amazon, smallparts.com, etc • Balsa • www.lonestar-balsa.com, hobby shops, etc

More Related