Fitting the Array

The team has been working overtime this past week to get our new array ready. This has been one of our major projects for the past year and it's great to see it finally coming together. Late last week, the team began cutting and fitting Plascore ribs to the underside of the array. From Sunday through till the meeting on Wednesday, we worked tirelessly to adjust the pieces and glue them in place.



After the ribs were finally done, we had the fun task of mating the array to the lower body. This process began last Thursday, continued through till the weekend, and it will resume this week. It is a long, painful process, but the results will be well worth the extra time in the lab.



There are also a few smaller projects that have seen progress in the last week. Joe, a freshman that has taken interest in fabrication and driving, has been busy working on building a carbon fiber steering wheel for the car. Mitch, along with some help from other members, worked on our MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracker) box by essentially cutting it in half. With the new solar cells that we are going to install on the car, the system will only require 3 MPPT's, compared to the 6 that the old Gallium Arsenide array used. Friday afternoon, the machine shop hummed with the sound of progress. One of the CNC milling machines was busy carving away aluminum from our upper A-arms in order to make it lightweight. It's easy to say that this process is very exciting for both our design and mechanical teams.

The team will be busy working on the car during spring break, so be sure to follow along here on the blog and on our official Twitter account, SunseekerWMU.

Bronco Pride,
Joshua

Status Check

At last night's meeting, Dr. Engelmann went though a list of tasks that need to be completed in order for us to have a functioning car. We addressed issues and concerns about each task and made deadlines for each to be accomplished by. Many of the team members now have their own side project(s) to complete and everyone will be busy until the car is completed. As of now, the tentative date by which we wish to have the car running in a rayce worthy condition is the end of March, so time is slowly ticking away!

After the meeting, the team quickly moved into the build session. We began to cut and fit ribs for the array, worked on the new steering wheel, began designing a new brake pedal assembly, and rearranged our corner of the lab to make work easier. One of the tasks for rearranging was to move the old array out of our way. This was accomplished by hanging it from an I-beam. Its a little scary to walk under, but it definetly looks cools and gives us some much needed room to work!



Bronco Pride,
Joshua Allen

The New Array

Last week, several team members braved the winter storm to remove the array from its mold. After only a few minutes of working the part, it broke free and came out looking beautiful. Even without ribs, the new array piece is stronger than the array we built last year. Nick is in the final stages of creating a rib design that will add strength and rigidity to the piece so that it will be strong enough to support the new solar cells without risking damage to them.

Work on the lower body continues as we prepare to paint and mate the two parts of the shell. Other than that, this week was a little slower than most, but soon things will be in full swing as the design team starts spitting out plans for parts to be made and installed.


Bronco Pride,
Joshua

As January Closes...

Tonight we laid yet another layer of fiberglass into the array. Here is a list of the layers from the exterior surface to the interior: surface coat resin, one layer of fiberglass, a layer of carbon fiber, quarter inch thick layer of Nomex honeycomb, and two more layers of fiberglass. We may still add another layer of fabric for added support before adding structural ribs to the interior surface.

Progress on the lower shell repair is coming along quickly. Team members spent several hours tonight sanding the added material and adding more body filler to the area in preparation for repainting.

Bronco Pride,
Joshua

The Work Continues

In the past week, the team has continued to make progress on different aspects of the car. The team laid Nomex honeycomb into the part earlier in the week, and then at our Wednesday night meeting we laid a layer of fiberglass over the Nomex. The Nomex layer adds thickness and strength to the part. We will add several more layers of fabric before adding ribs and cutting the canopy section.

The lower body was flipped upside down so that we can work on the lower surface. It was still in poor condition from last spring when it was damaged during the process of removing it from the mold. After a quick sand and grind to bring down any high spots, we added a filler material to the surface and allowed it to cure. Once cured we sanded the surface smooth and luckily for us, the result was much better than expected. It should only take one or two more fill-and-sand cycles before a slick, smooth surface is achieved. Once we reach that point, paint will be applied and the car will be turned back upright so work on the interior can continue.

Bronco Pride,
Joshua

Halfway on the new array

The new semester has begun, and the team is already working hard. This past Sunday, the team laid a layer of carbon fiber into the array mold. This is the second layer of fabric on the part and soon we will add nomex honeycomb followed by several more layers of fiberglass. The plan is to have the final layers of fabric laid into the mold by the end of next week so we can begin to work on the reinforcing ribs and the cuts that will define the canopy section of the array.

The front end of the car is going to see several major fabrication projects. The first is the removal of several Plascore panels around the front suspension mounting area so that they can be replaced with new pieces to allow for a smooth installation of the new suspension system that some of the senior members are busy designing. The battery compartment is also going to see some improvements with a new ventilation system that will improve the amount of airflow to keep the battery pack within operating temperatures.

Bronco Pride,
Joshua Allen

December's Work

Following the tear down in November, the team began work on the improvements to the car. A new array, lighter suspension and electronics, and lots of composites work to the lower body are just some of the tasks that are underway.

The mold for the array had some final repairs to the surface repaired and then waxing got underway. After many of the newer members helped with the waxing, an initial layer of surface coat resin was laid. This is the layer that will give the Sunseeker a smooth outer surface. During finals week, Mitch, Nick, and myself returned to the lab for one last time in the semester to lay the first layer of fiberglass. We began by preparing all of the materials we would need. Vacuum bag, breather cloth, peel ply and the fiberglass were all cut and weighed. While preparing the last of the materials, a second layer of surface coat was laid to give us a layer of resin to lay the fabric into.

Once the resin began to tack, we quickly went to work. Two of us would hold the fabric above the surface while the third laid it onto the surface so that there were no bubbles or wrinkles in the fabric. This was no easy task because the fabric refused to slide once laid into the thick surface coat resin. After a piece of fabric was in the mold we spread a layer of laminating resin onto the fabric to completely wet it out. Eventually we got a strategy down and the fabric rapidly covered the mold. As I laid and soaked the last of the fabric in the canopy (because the other two couldn't reach that area), Nick and Mitch grabbed the peel ply and began to lay it into the mold. We then added the breather and vacuum bag. A few minutes later, the job was done and the part was under a solid vacuum.

The electronics have all but disappeared to the electrical labs on the far end of the building. Testing and optimizing of the electrical system are the primary goals of the electrical team. The suspension is also going through some optimization. When the rebuild comes around the vehicle will be much lighter and more efficient.

The lower body is getting its fair share of attention this winter as well. Some under body sanding was carried out to smooth out the rough spots that were never repaired after the damage caused by removing the part from the mold last spring. We are also planning out an air intake system for the battery, sealed wheel wells, and a stronger, lighter interior structure.

The team will be back to work the Sunday before classes start this spring. Keep an eye on this blog, because the updates will be weekly and full of exciting information and news!

Bronco Pride,
Joshua