Week 5 - Presentation and Paseo Public Prototyping Challenge

This week, I created the SOLIDWORKS assembly that was going to be the presentation model. In addition to this, I made the presentation slides (and will present tomorrow) for the importance and significance of having a full scale design as well two explaining the SOLIDWORKS assembly.

In addition, on the 21st, my group and I went to the Hammer Theater to see the Paseo Public Prototyping Challenge. In addition to the representative of the PPPC, there were also three guest speakers (from Microsoft, SJSU and the Knight Foundation) who talked not just about what the Challenge entails, but also about the state of Silicon Valley and the San Jose. Unfortunately, with my course load and senior project, it will be much too difficult to participate. Nonetheless, it still was very interesting and I am very glad I went.

Week 4 - Questions and a New Design

               There were two major actions that I did independently this week.

               The first was sending an email to Ron Swenson for his Milotek contact. I began listing questions since our September 7th meeting’s when we were first shown Milotek’s system, but as Mr. Swenson was leaving for his conference on the 14th, it was time to actually formalize and send it. In addition, when he should us the new support designs, it was important to also ask questions about those too. Fortunately, my questions were comprehensive enough that they could apply to both systems.

               The second was making a rough design of a support system in SOLIDWORKS. I made a 1.525m by 10m "sidewalk" as a guide, then started to design. The features I wanted to incorporate were cylindrical (concrete or thicker metal to protect from car crashes) pedestal and metal support beams to make an “arch” as well as tower where the can use cables to help distribute the load. Both of these components in my original SOLIDWORKS part had the track pass through the center, but I realized that the size needed for the tower/arch would likely be too big to place on a side walk, so I had to scrap it. I then revised my design so that the tower and arch were in “T” shapes (which also has the benefit of allowing two cars going in opposite directions to pass through), but I did not have enough time to polish it (i.e. I didn’t get to show the thicker bases or place cables). Nonetheless, I put a picture of my design below.

Week 3 - Understanding Old Designs

This week we were formally briefed about the full scale project with by teachers. Specifically, we were shown a video of Milotek’s Futran system and explained how it’s guideway beams work. After this, we looked over the previous semester’s system and compared and contrasted it to what we saw with the Futran video. I pointed to my group how like the prototype version of Futran, the frame and guideway of the current Superway is attached directly to the columns on one side, compared with the final Futran system which instead uses symmetrical arcs and cables for supporting the guideway. We then discussed how the latter system is considerably simpler and more stable, at least for the conventional linear sections of track, as it reduces the effects of torsion and is less obtrusive on the sidewalk.

From home, I made a document on Google Drive to list the questions we want to ask the professor’s contact about his guideway beams, and added eight question to it.

Finally, with Kathlyn’s help, I managed to download SOLIDWORKS for my computer. This will be invaluable going forward so that I can properly analyze the existing designs then make and test new ones.

Week 2 - Getting Familiar With the Project

This was my first official week in the Spartain Superway Project. It required a lot of rushing for me get register to the class and finish the forms.

Apart from that, my main development was joining the Full Scale group. We exchanged information and access to the team blog. However, this did not leave much time during the class session to discuss or plan the project itself or how we should split responsibilities. In addition we were also briefed by one of the professors about the last year’s progress and a new construction technique that could dramatically improve or change the design.

Over the weekend, I looked over last year's report, focusing especially on the “Chapter 1: Intermediate Scale.” In addition, I considered several new design ideas to increase distance between supports, such as using cables in a manner similar to suspension or cable stayed bridge. Also, I looked into attaining a student copy of SOLIDWORKS, though it appears that it they do not give out free copies without a key. All in all, I will have much to talk about next meeting.

Week 1 - Introduction: Successes and Failures

    I am Claude Michel and I am part of the full scale team. Throughout my time at Cañada College and San Jose State University, I have participated in many projects that have helped me prepare for Spartan Superway.

                I discovered my passion for cad software and design at my engineering graphics class at Cañada College. Ever since then, I have implemented CAD programs such as AutoCAD, SOLIDWORKS, Creo and Inventor in many projects, both academic and personal, such as a tool box for ME 41, a 6 cylinder radial engine for ME 165, or an intricate plaque for Phi Tau Sigma. However, I have not gotten much opportunity to practice the FEA analysis aspect, and hope that this project will give me opportunity to do so.

                One of the projects I’m most proud of was my beverage heater for ME 106. It used four standard push buttons, a 4 digit 7 segment LED display, a servo motor, a temperature sensor, and a heating coil attached to a relay. I started that semester with barely any programming experience, but I designed the whole circuit and wrote the program myself (except for the drivers to the premade electronic components) and also helped with the mechanical design of the device. It took a lot of time and effort, but by the end it worked perfectly.

There was one project that was not successful however – the miniature handcar for ME 154. In it, my group was trying to make a toy sized motorized device based on a train track handcar. We made it primarily from standardized steel Erector/Meccano parts and a few custom 3D printed components. Unfortunately when assembled, the device could only rock back and forth instead of moving forwards. We realized that there were two major flaws in our version of the design: the central 3D printed wheel was too light compared to the rest of the car, and the rubber band drive belt diffused too much of the energy. In contrast, on the conventional handcar, the central wheel is a heavy gear so it transfers a maximum of energy and doubles as a flywheel (preventing it from rocking back). More than anything, from this project I learned the importance of fully understanding the background principles as it allows you to avoid needless mistakes which will be critical when time (and in many other scenarios funding and safety) is a critical factor and second chances are hard to come by.

                As I have not worked as an intern yet, this will be by far the most expansive ambitious and intense project I will be working on. I might have become a little rusty on many of the relevant subjects because of the time that passed since I’ve taken their classes. Consequently I will review these old subjects and learn and many new skills and improve most of the ones I already have. This will be a challenge, but one that I intend to give my all to the project!