Yiwen Wu
Engineer · Designer · Baker · Traveler
Remote Controlled Vehicle
September 2012 - December 2012
Four Team Members
This was a class project to design and build a remote controlled vehicle to compete against other teams in the "BALLTOWER-3" competition. (Click here for detailed game specifications and rules.) My team designed and manufactured a hill-climbing vehicle with a motored arm that grabs targets into the carriage of the vehicle. We won the Best Mechanical Design Award among 40 teams.
Inspiration
Studied the game specifications and rules.
Identified available design and manufacturing resources.
Developed design criteria with weighing factors from 5, most important, to 1, least important, based on project objective.
Generated strategies for the "BALLTOWER-3" competition.
"BALLTOWER-3" competition arena
Arena model provided by University of Michigan ME 250 instructors.
Design criteria and corresponding weights
Strategy example with arrows indicating vehicle motion
Ideation
Selected team strategy through evaluating expected scores, possible outcomes, and risks of all proposed strategies.
Brainstormed design concepts to implement the selected team strategy.
Sketched design conecpts and evaluted them using a Pugh Chart with identified design criteria and corresponding weights.
Designed a double gearbox rear drivetrain and an Akerman rack and pinion steering system for hill-climbing.
Designed a motored and hinged arm with a mast working for target collection.
Constructed a 3D CAD model of the vehicle design.
Concept sketches
3D CAD model of our vehicle design
Implementation
Created a Bill of Materials for minimum cost and maximum manufacturability on campus.
Obtained aluminum, steel, acrylic and machine elements from project kit, school machine shop tool crib, and online stores.
Manufactured the vehicle through processes including milling, lathing, drilling, cutting, laser cutting and waterjetting.
Integrated electronic components and set up remote controls.
Conducted performance tests and refined the design.
Competed against other teams in the "BALLTOWER-3" competition.
Won the Best Mechanical Design Award among 40 participating teams.
Akerman rack and pinion steering system
Rear drivetrain wheel hub assembly & Steering motor testing
Final vehicle assembly
