Testing
Testing for RC Baja requires several different preparations as there is a wide range of testing scenarios it will be put through. Starting with the sprint a distance and stopwatch will be required for completion. Moving into the slalom, similar information must be known with the dimensions of the course being the most important. Turn radius, lengths of stretches between turns, and total distance of slalom are all important information for this test. For both of these tests, it is important to take into account the surface that the tests are taking place on like asphalt, soil, or gravel. These 2 tests are done in consistent environments, compared to the motocross test where cars will be tested on a terrain of changing slopes and angles where a full course layout needs to be known for testing.
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The overwhelming method of gathering information from testing will come from timing. Successful testing is determined when the top speed and turn radius are met in order to produce results that exceed the completion. The goal set was for the car to reach a maximum value of at least 25 miles per hour and have a turn radius of 60 degrees. Those goals will result in better times for each test and are the set goals for success determined prior to construction of the car.
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In order to reach the top speed of 25 miles per hour during the sprint the surface needs to be flat with asphalt. The length of the sprint also needs to be a length in which the car has time to get up to speed. To test the turning range, cones or some type of marking is needed to measure the distance between and angle to determine if the designed turning ability is met.
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On conclusion of the testing several measure values will be documented in order to determine the success of the car. Time over distance will be documented in order to determine the top speed as well as the acceleration of the car. The time through the slalom will be recorded to determine the maneuverability but also the distance between cones will allow for the calculation of angles of turn that the car was taking with the goal of being at least 60 degrees.
Test 1: Drop Test
The drop test resulted was used to determine the vertical compression of the suspension system for the RC car. After measuring the distance from ground to the axle running through the rear tire and the ground to the bottom of the chassis plate the drop test can begin. Using the slow-motion camera, it is determined that the chassis is .5 inches below the axle. This is after the measured distance of the control measurements showed the chassis was 1/8 of an inch above the axle determine a .625 in vertical compression of the suspension system once the distances are added together.
Figure 1
Test 2: Chassis Deflection
Test 2 is a chassis deflection test that is used to determine if the requirement that the chassis can't deflect greater than 1/8th of an inch during the drop test. Due to the design of the chassis, deflection couldn't be measured during the drop test. Therefore, a deflection test was set up as seen in figure 2 where weight was applied to the center of the chassis to force deflection.
Figure 2
The deflection Is measured taking weight that is individually measured and adding it brick by brick to the chassis. Measuring the distance from the table to the bottom of the chassis to obtain a measurement, as seen in Figure 3. Over 45 lbs. was added to the chassis in order to record deflection of the chassis.
Figure 3
Test 3: Chassis ride height
Test 3 was a chassis ride height test used to determine the cars ability to experience the RC Baja competition events and return to a requirement ride height of 2 inches. This was done by putting the RC car through each of terrains as seen in figure 4, and maneuvers like the slalom and drag race and measuring the resting height of the chassis after competition.
Figure 4
Measurement for the chassis ride heights were taken before and after the ride in order to measure the change. A ruler was pressed against the ground vertically to measure the distance from the ground to the bottom of the chassis as seen in figure 5.
Figure 5
Testing Videos
3 test were used to determine if the RC car met the requirements. Each of these tests where completed and shown in the video above. The first was a drop test where the slow motion clip shared was one of the ones used to measure the vertical compression of the suspension system. The second test was a chassis deflection test used to determine the mass required to achieve deflection of the chassis after it was determined that that no measurable deflection takes place during the drop test. the video shows the process of weighing, recording, and adding the weight to the chassis until deflection is observed. The final test was a chassis ride height test where the RC car was put through the different Baja competitions and on completion, the height of the chassis was measured as seen in the video.