Page 1 of 6 ME1332: Design Project 2 – Autonomous Vehicle to Touch Wall and Return 1. AIM A 'vehicle', which can be any movable device - wheeled, walking, sliding, jumping, rolling or other, must move from a point on a flat surface to touch a wall placed at a random distance to the point and then return to stop as close as possible to the start point in a fast time, in order to maximise a defined Performance Measure. The vehicle can be started manually but once it has started no interference or outside control is allowed. 2. BRIEF1 Schematically (in stages) what needs to be done is shown in Figure 1. The aim of the competition is to make a vehicle to stop with `d' as small as possible in a fast time. Figure 1: Schematic of Competition (not to scale; 'vehicle' does not have to be as shown). The general spirit of this Design Project is to provide the opportunity to experience the innovative solving of an engineering problem: 'DESIGN – BUILD – TEST' describes the phases of the task. • DESIGN: Use creativity and analytical methods to produce a workable solution to a defined problem or challenge, using new or proven technology in a novel way. • BUILD: Realise the design in a physical embodiment using efficient and appropriate manufacturing methods. • TEST: Subject the built embodiment of the design to measurement against defined performance criteria. In addition to building the chosen device you will produce reports and a poster (detailed in section 3) that should aim to communicate: 2.1 Adherence to a design process as highlighted in lectures, e.g. applying a Technical Specification, objective trees, morphological charts, function diagrams and objective concept selection to the problem, all detailed in the core module textbook2. 2.2 The novelty of the design. 2.3 The principal features and the working principle of any mechanisms using diagrams to show how and why the device works. 2.4 The engineering science that underpins the design. 2.5 The calculations that predict the cycle time for the device to touch the wall and return to the start. Uncertainties are to be accounted for in all calculations. 2.6 Detail design of the device. 1 This design challenge is based on the current IMechE competition open to Level 1 UG engineering students 2 Ulrich, K.T., Eppinger, S.D., Product Design and Development, McGraw-Hill, 2011.Page 2 of 6 2.7 RULES: (a) The 'vehicle' can be any type of device, but must be self-contained and at all times during the competition must fit within a maximum working envelope of 0.4m x 0.4m x 0.4m. Nothing used by the vehicle to navigate or move can be outside that volume during the race (no remote control, power leads, laid tracks, left behind markers, gps etc.) (b) The test area will be a flat, horizontal, surface (i.e. the floor of MCST 158); the wall will be 0.3 m high, vertical, rigid and heavy. The distance from the start point to the wall will not be known in advance and will be determined randomly within a range during testing. (c) No proprietary vehicles, proprietary assemblies or proprietary, pre-programmed control units (e.g. Lego Mindstorm Intelligent Bricks) may be used. Proprietary individual components if taken from a variety of suppliers may be used but no Lego, Meccano or similar construction systems. The device shall be made using generally-available facilities and processes that you can work with under minimal supervision. You must obtain parts in sufficient time to build the device ready for test. (d) A full parts list must be produced. The cost of all parts and materials with a purchase price (incl VAT at 20%) as new (not second hand or 'car boot sale' price) greater than £0.20 should be shown on the parts list; no cost needs to be shown for cheaper parts. The total budget for the vehicle is £25 per team. Standard sheet/bar materials should be charged as a percentage used per device (within reason), e.g. Purchase of a 6 m length of steel bar cost £18.00, 0.2 m is used, and the cost recorded is £0.60. No rapid prototyping or additive manufacture is permitted. (e) The parts list showing costs and total cost for the vehicle must be on the poster to be submitted. (f) The initial and final position of the vehicle will be measured as the shortest distance from the wall to a datum point on the front of the vehicle. This datum point must be clearly marked on the vehicle. If it is not, then the judges will select and mark the point on the day of the competition. (g)- The wall will be placed in the short range (1.4-2.4m), medium range (2.4-3.2m) and long range (3.2-4m). Each team will have a single run, at the wall, in each of the three different wall range distances. The wall distances will be the same for all teams, but will not be known in advance, and will be determined on the day. (h) After each single run the distance from the vehicle datum to the target point on the board will be scored and recorded. After the three single runs the average of the three scores will be recorded will be added together. In a run, the vehicle will have one attempt to return to the target. The run is on accuracy alone, not on speed. (i) A team will score zero points,  if the vehicle does not hit the wall,  if the vehicle leaves the lane (Figure 2),  if the vehicle has not come to a stop after 3 minutes,  if the vehicle, or its team, does not comply with the competition rules, or  if a vehicle does not stop within the target area around the datum point A vehicle, disqualified from one of its attempts can still take the other attempts. (j) During a trial all team members must be outside the test area. A judge will ensure the correct procedure is followed. (k) Repairs and minor alterations to the vehicle between the two attempts are allowed for a period no longer than 2 minutes. Materials and parts may be obtained from the lab designated to your team and the main stores in TOWB 009 but you must check availability well in advance of the deadline for building. You may also purchase parts at your own expense from alternative suppliers such as those listed below. The stores can be very busy therefore a single representative should be sent by each team. You must avoid unnecessary questions and go prepared to ask for precisely what you require. The following websites will give you an idea of what is available:  RS Components (http://rswww.com).  Rapid Electronics (http://www.rapidonline.com/).  Farnell (http://uk.farnell.com/)  HPC (http://www.hpcgears.com/)  Technology Supplies (http://www.technologysupplies.co.uk)  EMA Model Supplies (http://www.ema-models.co.uk/)  MUTR (http://www.mutr.co.uk/) Materials and components that are commonly available from engineering suppliers, whilst available by mail order, can take several days. Check that parts will be received in adequate time for build and test (at your risk). Further assistance may be rendered by Dr Saeed Afshinjavid ([email protected]) in TOWD 203.Page 3 of 6 3. REPORTS (60%)  SUBMITTED IN THREE PARTS: Sections are assessed and feedback generated after the latter deadline. Marks are only awarded to the students identified on each relevant page.  DO NOT EXCEED MAX page numbers shown.  All sketches must be clear and technical drawings to BS8888. Hand drawings are acceptable.  Calculations must be clearly laid out where specified - typed not hand written.  Report to be on A4 paper, stapled in the top left-hand corner (no covers, plastic wallets etc.) and the pages numbered. Excess pages will not be read or marked. 3.1 Assignment C: Part C1 Individual Report Deadline is 12:00 Wednesday 8th MARCH a) Author name + ID + TEAM identified in header of each page. b) Design Specification (1 page). c) Proposed design and analysis, principal features and working principle of any mechanisms using diagrams to show how and why the design works. The engineering science and calculations that underpin the design (2 pages). 3.2 Assignment C: Part C3 Team Poster (in tutorial session) Deadline is 9:00 Monday 20th MARCH a) Size A1 Portrait. Displaying Brunel logo (available on Blackboard) b) Author names + ID + TEAM identified. c) To be emailed to Natalie Powers in SPO ([email protected]) and Dr Apostolos Pesiridis – it is NOT to be printed. d) Description of the final design and how it was selected and developed. e) Analysis, principal features and working principle using diagrams to show how and why the design works. f) The engineering science and calculations that underpin the design, including predicted time to hit the wall and back. g) Drawing of final design (to BS8888). h) The parts list showing costs and total cost for the main components of the final design. i) Poster judging criteria: Weight (%) Visual impact Compliance with rules – size (A1) and orientation (portrait) 15 Obvious information on the university represented (logos) and the team members' names 15 Good use of colour, layout, text and space to convey meaning 15 Technical Content Clear but brief textual description of the competing device 15 Clear diagram(s) – sketch, rendering or CAD model – of the device according to BS8888 15 Evidence of the engineering science underpinning the device 15 Summary costing of major components of the device 10 100 3.3 Assignment C: Part C5 Individual Deadline is 12:00 Wednesday 29th MARCH a) Author name + ID + TEAM identified in header of each page. b) Individual team members will also submit their (typed) record of contributions made to Project 2 team meetings, design and build by all team members (1 page). Individual log books will be regularly inspectedPage 4 of 6 4. TEST DAYS Sessions (40%) – Monday 20th MARCH and Monday 27th March (during Design Tutorial Session) Marks will be divided between the initial trials (Assignment C: Part C2) and final trials (Assignment C: Part C4), in order to reward teams that have a working device for the initial trials and work to improve its performance for the final trials. 4.1 On meeting the project rules, for academic purposes in awarding marks the device is assessed according to the Performance Measure below. 4.2 Performance Measure: PM = 40PPF + 40BPSF + 20DG Where: LPS = Precision Score based on datum distance from target area (see Figure 3 and 4) (points scored) LBIPS= Best-In-Class LPS (points scored) PPF = Predicted Precision Factor = max{0, 1 – abs(predicted-actual precision)/(predicted precision)} BPSF = Best Precision Score Factor = max{0, 1 – abs(LPS – LBIPS)/LBIPS} DG = Design Grading = Devices are graded (100%, 80%, 60%, 40%, 20%, 0%) in terms of design ingenuity and engineering, as judged by the tutors 4.3 TEST PROCEDURE and AREA 4.3.1 First Trial - Monday 20th MARCH (during Design Tutorial Session) Position of the wall, dwall, is selected randomly. i. Teams put forward their vehicles. ii. Judges inspect the vehicle for size, clarity/position of datum point etc. iii. Teams put vehicles in the test area with datum point over start point. iv. Walls are positioned on the test areas (at the same distance for all vehicles). v. Teams start vehicles manually and then leave the test area. vi. Vehicles move to wall with no outside interference. vii. Vehicles touch wall with no outside interference. viii. Vehicles return close to the start point with no outside interference. ix. The attempt ends when a vehicle has stopped. The vehicle is disqualified if it does not hit the wall, leaves the test area or has not come to a stop after 2 minutes. x. Judges record cycle time, tCT, and distance, d, from the datum point on each vehicle to its start point. xi. Teams collect vehicles when authorized by the judges. Minor repairs and adjustments can be made at this stage, for not more than 3 min. xii. Test is repeated twice (steps i - xii). xiii. A team's final distance is taken as the best (shortest) of the two distances from first and second attempts. 4.3.2 Final Trial - Monday 27th MARCH (during Design Tutorial Session) Teams compete with the position of the wall, dwall, selected randomly, again following steps i-xiii.Page 5 of 6 Figure 2. Schematic of test area (plan view). A vertical wall of 0.3 m height is placed normal to the centreline. Vehicles must remain within the grey area. Target point: There will be a series of circles around the target point and each band between the circles represents a number of points. The highest score being the target point and then the points becoming progressively less as the circles increase in diameter. (See appendix C) Lane area is 1m wide (shown shaded in figure 2). The surface board will be Plywood Hardwood Throughout 18mm x 2440mm x 1220mm supplied by: TravisPerkins.co.uk (Item Code 767336) Datum point required on the vehicle: Vehicle must remain within the grey test area.Page 6 of 6 Figure 3. RS Pro Steel Brass Plated Square Hook 20mm to be used as datum on the vehicle. Figure 4. The target area with scoring indicated