Week 37: Refer to Group Blog Post, Again

Not much to say here this week, aside from work is being done on the final report, which should be complete soon.

The bender has been moved back to the shop, and proper documentation of its use and capabilities will be made before leaving the project for good.

See this week's group blog post here.

Week 36: Refer to Group Blog Post

Work this week was focused on readying the presentation for the Senior Design Conference to be held on May 12th. Go to this week's group blog post for more information.

See this week's group blog post for information.

Week 35: Builds Complete, Final Report, Documentation, Presentations

As the title of this post suggests, the builds have been completed.

The solar panel rack was built in a method similar to the other solar panel racks. Holes were drilled in the large stock aluminum pieces with a drill press. Most other holes were drilled with a cordless powered hand drill. Measurements and locations of holes were taken from the previously built rack. A nonfunctional solar panel was used to test-fit the clearances of the rack, which provided positive results.

The bogie backstop requirements were changed from metal diamondplate to a more forgiving piece of wood. As such, a simple design made out of scrap pieces of plywood, 1" x 2", 2" x 4", and some screws, with the goal being simple attachment to the already complete track. The method of attachment used is a hook system, with the hooks made out of scrap pieces of plywood.

The presentation for the Senior Design Conference need to be worked on, and will showcase much of the same information as what has been shared throughout the course of the past year. Documentation on how to use the material bender, the states of the machines within the shops, handoff of the tasks, and the final report to summarize what has been accomplished need to be complete as well.

Scrap plywood, cut up to use as bogie backstop.

Minor issues arose, such as the band on the bandsaw breaking.

Replacements were on-hand, so the issues were minor..

Screws for part of the hooks made out of 2" x 4".

One completed backstop.

Both completed backstops, shown back-to-back for sizing.

Scrap piece of plywood, with a slot cut out as a guide for

hole placement for solar panel tabs/ribs.

Post sleeve for the new support, cut to length and with holes drilled.

Final version of bolt supports for the post sleeve.

Bolt sleeve with pieces of angle stock as connection points.

Top-down view with bolts going through.

Side view of the assembled post sleeve and angle support.

Back view of the assembled post sleeve and angle support.

Solar panel racks built and assembled, with solar panel test fit.

Solar panel racks built and assembled, no solar panel.

Week 34: Solar Panel Rack & Half-Scale Backstop Progress, Final Report

The build for the solar panel rack is moving along. The end pieces have been completed thus far, consisting of cutting material, drilling through-holes, and mounting corner brackets. The sides need holes drilled for the ribs and tabs, the ribs and tabs need holes drilled for through bolts, and angle stock needs to be purchased to make the post and support.

A section of 7.5" by 16.5" diamondplate has been cut and had holes drilled, which will be used to assess the original plans for the half-scale bogie backstop. Depending on how the test fit later today goes, changes may have to be made to the design to accommodate.

May 12th is the Senior Design Conference, and is when all of Spartan Superway will be presenting at the university to an open crowd. Work needs to be done on the final report, and much of the information present therein will also be shown during the conference. Still waiting on information about what the format of the final report will be.

Holes being drilled for the end pieces.

End pieces with corner brackets mounted with through-bolts.

Post for the post support.

Section of diamondplate cut from a larger square via jigsaw.

Holes drilled in diamondplate for through-bolts, to be tested today.

Week 33: Solar Panel Rack & Half-Scale Team Request

Short post this week. Refer to the group blog this week for general information on what's being done.

More details on the solar panel build will be posted next week, after work has taken place.

The half-scale team approached me to help create a physical barrier affixed to each end of the track to prevent the bogie from driving off the track in case anything happens. The plan is to use spare diamondplate and bolt it to the frame at the end of each track. This will require drills, plenty of screws and nuts and washers, and plenty of time as well.

Week 32: Past Paseo

Paseo Public Prototyping was a relative success. This week's group post contains all relevant information.

Click here to go to this week's group post.

Below is the same presentation as the one in the group post, but with additional slides appended.

Week 31: Crunch Time

The Paseo Public Prototyping Challenge is almost here, with only several days left. According to the other teams, there is still work to be done at this point. Testing of the bogie on the new track appears to have been successful, which indicates that additional new pieces of track may not be needed. The build of the solar panels appears to be proceeding well, with the ribs and tabs fitting well enough.

There have not been any requests for extra hands or aid from any of the other teams, but with reports of recent progress, I feel that there is no need to worry. What will be shown at the Paseo challenge will not be the most refined version that the small scale team has to offer, but it should be serviceable and provide a base from which to move forward towards MakerFaire.

More detailed investigation will need to be made into the state of the aged and donated tools around the shop, but many of them appear to be broken beyond repair, are missing parts that cannot be found, do not have the requisite associated items, need new parts, or just do not work well.

Click here to go to the track improvement week 3 post for some basic investigation into shop tool issues.