The MECH team began working on improving our SOLIDWORKS skills learning the basic functionality of the different car parts we needed to design (battery stack, stopping mechanism and water containment). As a learning tool, we began by evaluating previous designs for the car components and collectively analyzed their strengths and weaknesses.
From there, we reviewed the design process framework learned in APSC 100 and 101, which gave us a methodical step-by-step guideline to define and clarify our problem to then generate the best possible solution. Each week we prototyped and designed different car components, presenting them to each other the following week, receiving feedback and making further improvements.
In order to construct the drivetrain, we learned about the variety of purchasable car parts to be used on our designs such as wheels, gears, and shafts. By learning assembly and mating techniques in SOLIDWORKS, we designed the drivetrain. Prior to the winter break, we each created a full assembly of a car combining all the respective car parts and drivetrain. The photos pictured below represent each member’s car assembly in an isometric view.
Figure 1: UBC Chem-E-Car Designs