sector
tech
competition
disciplines
industrial design
engineering
status
prototype
year
2016
The Formula E (elastic) challenge aka. “The Rubber Racer” has been held annually during the month of August since 2006 at Art Center College of Design’s Graduate Industrial Design Department. The 14 Week-long design project culminates with student teams competing in a variety of events with their uniquely designed remote-controlled race vehicles propelled by energy stored in 16 feet of a rubber band.
14 weeks project | Team project with Tanmay Mathre and Zhiyu Liu
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SPEED, CONTROL, DISTANCE
The goal of the project is to create a rubber band powered RC car that will compete in three courses race. The course are testing the speed, control and the distant of travel before the car runs out of power. Innovation and improvement are needed to break the annual record.
POWERED BY 16 FT RUBBER BAND
We divide the rubber band into loops, and the RC car is propelled by the power stored from winding the rubber band. The speed is determined by the length of the loop and the winding. More winding can give more speed and distance at the cost of control and stability.
SPEED TEST
We tested many variables that can affect the car's performance: starting with the winding, the material choices, the controller, brakes and many more. The video on the right shows the first course of the competition: straight line. The goal is to get as fast as you can.
THREE STAGES PROTOTYPE
Build, test, crash and repeat. We developed three chasis configurations. We tried to make the RC car lighter but at the same time more stable by changing to a longer carbon fiber body and wider frame.
What we learned from the first stage car :
-Chasis was too heavy.
-Brake system isn't working properly (metal to metal)
-Wheels have too much traction
-The front servo wasn't attached properly (MDF).
-Rubber band management is too sharp.
PROTOTYPE 1.0 & 2.0
The improvements in prototype 3.0:
-Chassis is lighter and more robust (carbon fiber).
-Brake system has a better grip (rubber)
-Wheels are appropriate for RC car racing.
-The custom fit nylon frame is more durable and stable.
-The rubber band management system is lighter and doesn't cut the rubber band.
PROTOTYPE 3.0
Design team: Edwin Tanu, Zhiyu Liu and Tanmay Mathre