Design Weaknesses

Design Weaknesses:

Based on limited testing (about an hour of drive time) at the time of this report our primary design weakness this year appears to be our frame and drivetrain. Our rover does not have a suspension and is not hinged. In our previous I-frame design, the joint in the middle allotted for a considerable amount of play, allowing each wheel to take hills and bumps individually. This year, with the rectangular frame, construction our “rover mini” the drivers and the rover will have to be strong enough to absorb the shock from course obstacles. Furthermore, the drivetrain has shown a tendency to bind and exert lateral force upon the axles, which we will fix using braces and tensioners on the chains. While these weakness could have a significant impact on our performance at competition, thus far we have been able to problem solve the challenges that have arisen and feel confident the rover will complete the course in the allotted time.