Solar powered car
The structural System
The structural system is the chassis. The chasis makes sure the car is supported under the weight.
Problem and Task:
The problem that my team has been challenged with is to make a car that can run solely on electricity and solar power energy. As time goes on electric cars grow more and more popular, and even though more people own them there are not enough charging stations for these cars. In addition, older electric car batteries are not as strong and have to be charged more frequently. This problem has led a group of students (Teagan, Maddie, Rachael and myself) to make a car that can run on both solar power and electricity.
The Criteria:
The car must drive 20 meters with an empty soda can.
Constraints:
The car must be no larger than 60cm long, 30cm wide, and 30cm tall.
The soda cannot be taped, glued or anything else that would connect the can to the cars structure.
The can and solar panel must also be easily removed from the vehicle.
Our team Orthographic Projection.
propulsion system:
Chemical energy is transferred from the battery in the motor to the wheels first, through Chemical Potential Energy to the circut and connects it to the motor which uses mechanical kinetic Energy. Our group decided to put the gear on the wheel towards the back. At first we used the same drive gear as a driven gear. it made the axle faster and gave it more RPM. Then we decided to use a smaller gear, a smaller drive gear gives it more torque. The torque means it will give our car more power. We also moved our drive train from the front to the back. Additionally this will make for more room for the soda can and solar panels.
What is Systems Engineering:
Systems Engineering is when all different types of engineers that each specialize in a certain type of engineering come together to make the best prototype they can, using all of there combined knowledge to make it.
Our Final Car design
The Feed Back Loop in our car:
The Feed Back Loop helps you to develop what your trying to make. In this case we used the Feed back loop to come up with ideas to make a solar powered car. First we got our materials which were cardboard, wheels and hot glue and through this proses we made a running car. Multiple times we hit a road block and needed to change something to make our car move more effectively and fix it using the Feed back loop.
Input
The input of our car is the ............solar panel.
Process
The solar panel powers our car so the process of attaching it and getting it to work effectively is very important. The panel has wires that are attached to a motor which spins the smaller gear this motion moves the wheels.
Output
The output is a car running solely on solar powered energy
How I helped my team:
VOG: Communication
I helped my team by trying to be the best communicator I could, listening to every one's opions and stratigizing the best way for every ones ideas to be merged into one car. I also had the idea of where and how to add the panels so that the sun would be able to hit the panel from multiple angles.
I also feel as if I had good accountability because when we worked on separate things I was trusted to work productively.