Spartan Superway: Sub-Team Project Definitions & Fall / Spring 16/17 Deliverables

Deliverables for all sub-teams during the Fall 2016 semester:

• All sub-teams must be able to design, rapid-prototype (out of MDF wood, foam-core, etc), test, and then prototype (metal, aluminum, etc.), and test a model within the Fall 2016 semester. (This may differ for the Full-Scale Test Track sub-team; we will keep you updated.) The Fall 2016 semester is extremely important for working out the flaws that may come from initial designs, which will help all sub-teams redesign and prototype a new, functional model for Spring 2017. All issues that may arise in your initial design iteration are to be noted in detail in your Fall 2016 Final Report, along with completing other guidelines that the final report states. The Fall 2016 semester also requires three presentations of your work as the semester goes along.
• To be successful within the Spartan Superway Project, it is absolutely necessary to think of how your sub-team affects other sub-teams starting NOW. It is HIGHLY likely that your sub-team’s work will directly affect another sub-team’s work, so communicating with these other sub-teams early in the Fall 2016 semester is crucial for success.
• Example: The half-scale mechanical bogie + fail safe + steering sub-team must communicate with the half-scale braking, propulsion, suspension, systems integration, and way side sub-teams. In the end, all of these sub-team’s work will have to unify and work together as a whole. This is why early communication is key for success. This goes for the 1/12th-scale sub-team as well! EVERYONE needs to think about what other sub-teams will directly affect your work.

Deliverables for all sub-teams during the Spring 2017 semester:

• All sub-teams must have fully-functional prototypes that are ready to be shown at the Paseo Public Prototyping Challenge on April 8th, 2017, and for Maker Faire May 19 - 21,  2017. A Spring 2017 report will be due, as well as three presentations.

Note to all teams: If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please ASK NOW. All of us want you to be successful in completing a fully functional project, so do not hesitate to ask questions if anything is unclear.

Half Scale Team - Fully automated system:

• Mechanical Iteration Bogie Sub-Team (Includes Fail Safe & Steering): (Michael Kemp,  Jorge L Soto Lozano)
  
• This sub-team will need to revamp / redesign / reinnovate the mechanical half-scale bogie model that was designed in past work. They need to think in terms of serviceability, manufacturability, durability, and life expectancy. This sub-team will need to review what the past teams had designed and prototyped, such as the 2015/2016 senior team, and the summer 2016 team. (The summer team only got a CAD design completed; see the Archive.) Once carefully reviewed and critiqued, it will be essential for this sub-team to redesign / modify the previous design, because it did not function.
• Specifications: The half-scale mechanical bogie will need to traverse up and down a 17 degree slope. The half-scale bogie consists of two bogies that are linked together, which will require some careful kinematic design. The first bogie must be able to climb the 17 degree slope while the second bogie is still horizontal to the earth. The second bogie will eventually begin to change its angle as it reaches the slope as well, and this operation needs careful design innovation.
• Fail-safe: The half-scale bogie sub-team must develop a fail safe system so the bogie will never fall off the guideway when in use. Of course, the bogie must be able to detach from the guideway for maintenance purposes.
• Steering: The half-scale bogie sub-team must develop the steering system so the bogie can smoothly transition from a straight section of guideway to a merge/diverge section. It is important to select the proper actuators for switching the steering arms, because eventually on the full-scale test track the switching must happen very quickly. In the past, the steering was controlled by stepper motors, which have some drawbacks, but could still hold potential. The full-scale functional system that is in the Spartan Superway Design Center now uses linear actuators driven at relatively low-voltage, and they are relatively slow to switch the steering arms from one side of the guideway to the other.

• Half-Scale Propulsion & Braking Sub-Team: (Craig Hudacko, Randy Castillo, Martin Chavez)
  

• Propulsion: The hub-motor will need to be mounted to the mechanical bogie itself, and will need to be able to supply a normal force to the ‘roof’ of the guideway to ensure that the motor will not slip at anytime (upslope / downslope / slippery weather, etc). The normal force can be supplied with a linear actuator or other method to press the motor to the ceiling.
• Braking: The braking system must be developed for the half-scale model. The braking system must provide ample braking power for emergency situations, and be able to stop the bogie at determined places along the guideway for testing. In the shop, there is a golf-cart caliper and disc brake that can be used. A master cylinder also needs to be researched and mounted to the half-scale bogie. The master cylinder must be compressed using an actuator, which also needs to be researched. This system must be integrated into the propulsion system.
• Since we are developing a massive solar powered ATN (Automated Transit Network), regenerative braking system should also be researched and potentially be used for the half-scale bogie.

• Half-Scale Suspension Sub-Team: (Neil Dey, Brean Aquino)

• Suspension: The half-scale suspension sub-team should look at the suspension system that was designed in the summer of 2016 . The files are located in the Spartan Superway Archive. It is currently being manufactured, so it should be fully tested once it is completed. While the summer 2016 system is being manufactured, it will likely require another iteration to improve performance and efficiency.

• Half-Scale Wayside Power Sub-Team: (Kha Pham,  Matthew Hsiung)
  
• Wayside Power: Last year the wayside power sub-team took their best shot at an approach to distribute power along the guideway. Unfortunately, it was never tested, because the designs from other related sub-teams did not function, such as the bogie and solar array. This year, the wayside power sub-team will need to make another iteration of the entire system. This sub-team will need to directly work with the mechanical bogie sub-team as the mechanical bogie will have to continuously extract power from the wayside system. It would be a good idea to check out existing wayside / 3rd rail systems to see how those systems connect their vehicles to the wayside / 3rd rail power lines.
• Note: Eric Rosenfeld will be a great help to this team as he worked on the solar / wayside system all summer.

• Half-Scale Bogie Systems Integration: (Patrick Ding, Kimberly Sue Kuchinka)
  
• Systems Integration: This sub-team will be responsible for programming all of the half-scale sub-systems so they work in unison on the guideway when running. As you know, the propulsion, braking, steering, and suspension all require programming. These systems must be programmed properly to allow the bogie to flawlessly make a loop around the half-scale guideway. Additional sensors may need to be integrated onto the guideway as well for position sensing purposes.
• Since the half-scale bogie and all sub-systems within will likely not be built for the first month or so, it is important to start developing a platform to start testing the programming aspects. This could include building an LED array which represents the various mechatronics components in the half-scale system. These LEDs could be programmed to visually & conceptually show the half-scale bogie performing a full loop around the guideway. You must consider the motor speed & motor normal force actuator, steering actuator’s speed, braking actuator power, suspension actuation to keep the podcar horizontal to earth at all times, and timing! Timing is absolutely crucial so the bogie doesn’t fall off the guideway. **For more information on what the summer 2016 team did for half-scale systems integration, please go to Spartan Superway Archive > Reports > Summer 2016 Final Reports > Bogie Systems Integration Final Report Summer 2016.

1/12th-Scale Team - Fully Automated:

Note: → Gene Nishinaga from Transit Control Solutions, Inc. (TCS) has offered the opportunity to utilize his control system software that his company has developed for a TCS-related project, but can be used on our small-scale vehicles. To be fully ready for his controls software, the small-scale track and small-scale bogie need to be fully functional and able to traverse the small scale network. The summer 2016 electrical engineering sub-team was able to produce the electronics for two vehicles that “should” work on a functional small-scale track. The small-scale bogie needs some mechanical improvements as well to ensure that they will move along the small-scale track without problems.

• Track Improvement Sub-Team: (Andrew Snytsheuvel, Franklin Kha, Jezreel Gajardo)
  
• As this sub-team is already aware, the 2015/2016 1/12th-scale sub-team developed a test track that was manufactured both in-house and by a private professional manufacturer. There were many discrepancies along the track which caused the 1/12th-scale bogie to stall and fall off in many locations. This sub-team will need to review and renovate the work done by the 2015/2016 sub-team and the summer 2016 sub-team. This sub-team is responsible for the guideway (which includes placement for sensors / magnets for the podcar controls sub-team), the guideway-to-guideway supporting mounting brackets, support columns (with thoughts towards the solar sub-team), support column-to-guideway mounting brackets, and the footings where the columns will rest. It is important to consider the possibility of expanding the guideway network as well. The Spring 2016 ME 195B report shows what the full network should look like.  The track definitely needs two loops, but it is desirable to expand it to four loops if time and budget permits.
• Keep in mind: The bogie, track manufacturing, controls systems, solar improvement, and position sensing sub-teams are all interrelated, so frequent communication and collaboration among the associated subteams is really important.

• Bogie Hardware Improvement Sub-Team: (Ernest Theo F. Cabreza, Moralma Rodriguez, Ryan Yu)
  
• The 1/12th-scale bogie needs modification. It should be tested on the current track and be evaluated for potential flaws; such as the gap between the switch arms (may need to be reduced). The linkages between the servo and the switch arms now consist of bent piano wires, which are hard to make precise, and don’t last long. The linkages need to be redesigned to fix these problems. Many aspects of the mechanical design need to be redesigned and developed. Once a fully functional mechanical bogie system is developed, it will be necessary to manufacture a minimum of four to ten individual bogie systems. This is necessary to showcase many “cabins” running on the guideway at Paseo and Maker Faire.

• Bogie Controls Systems Sub-Team: (Chris Hansen, Luis Escamilla, Steven Wing Mou)
  
• This sub-team is in charge of implementing the controls to move vehicles around the network. The Korean 2016 summer team and the 2015-16 ME 195 team had working code that can be used to start with. Improvements are needed in sensing when switching should take place and sensing position around the network. The controls team will need to closely interact with the bogie team, track team, and mobile app (ENGR 195C) team. As mentioned earlier, this team has the opportunity to use the TCS control software, so the team will need to be in communication with Mr. Gene Nishinaga, the CEO of TCS.
  

• Small-Scale Track Manufacturing Apparatus Sub-Team: (Shengsong Cho, Kevin Yoshihara)
  
• This sub-team will be in charge of designing, fabricating, and testing an apparatus or manufacturing method that will allow aluminum bar stock to be bent into a specified radius or curvature as specified by the track improvement sub-team.The apparatus or method will need to produce consistent results to ensure that the formed sections of the track are in tolerance as specified by the Track Improvement sub-team. This team will also develop a method for measuring the different track radiuses and lengths. This team must work in close contact with the track improvement team to manufacture and/or have manufactured other track hardware, such as brackets and columns.

• Solar Array + Solar Tracking + Battery Charging Improvement Sub-Team: (Derick Wong, Suzana Guzman, Alan Yoc)
  
• This sub-team will be responsible for calculating the energy requirements to run a single podcar along the guideway for 24 hours. (This needs to be done in Excel so you can update calculations with additional podcars.) This sub-team will also develop a new, robust racking and mounting solution for the solar array that will include a solar tracking system to enhance the amount of sunlight that the solar array receives throughout the day. Lastly, this sub-team will improve upon the battery charging interface which is used to charges batteries that run the podcars.

• Vehicle Position Sensing Sub-Team: (Qihuan Miao, Zhiwei Li)
  
• This team will investigate using Hall or GMR sensors and a corrugated ferrous strip attached to the guideway to create a non-contact linear encoder which will enable the controls team to determine the position of the vehicle along the guideway. When successful, this sub-team can be the lead on developing a manufacturing technique for mass producing the corrugated strip or identify a supplier that can produce needed results. See Prof. Furman for details about the sensor and ferrous strip.

• User Interface App Sub-Team: Prof. Perry’s SE Students (Tim Heflin, Stephen Piazza, Johnny Nguyen)
  
• Software Engineers from ENGR 195 will create a smart-phone app (like Uber), which will allow a smart phone to interact with the model and control the vehicles on the small scale model.

Full-Scale Test Track (1 sub-team):

• Guideway Section & Columns & Footings & Expansion Joints & Testing Sub-Team: (Kathlyn Garces, Winter Saeedi, Kevin Maliyara, Claude Michael)
  
• A small section of the real guideway & solar array needs to be designed and constructed. This section of the guideway will be tested for thermal expansion and contraction. This sub-team will have to research potential manufacturing processes for producing the guideway and columns. (There may be civil engineers who can assist.) The team will also consider a novel approach for construction of the columns from a company in South Africa and will investigate appropriate footings for these kinds of columns. Load testing to be done as well. Expansion joints need to be developed and tested as well, especially for acoustics. Requirements for field assembly will influence design of the solar array and racking system.

ISE Teams (3 sub-teams):

• ISE 195A - Park & Ride Sub-Team: (Garvyn Vinoya, Yusake Ichimura, Navajo Ladhar)
  
• This sub-team will be responsible for doing analysis on the park & ride system that SJSU currently uses, to determine potential ridership and economics of replacing the existing service with a Spartan Superway network. More details will be forthcoming.
  

• ISE 195B - Network Design, Station Location, & Staffing for the Downtown SJ Area Sub-Team (Justin Boglar, Teresa Jimenez, Herminia Estrella)
  
• This team has been debriefed on 09/02/16 on what goals they need to achieve during the semester. They will be sending a proposal to the SSDC management who will potentially edit / add guidelines to their work!

• ISE 195B - Station Design Sub-Team: (Derek Schipper, Jordan Laris, Kenneth Harada)
  

This sub-team has not had an in-person meeting with the SSDC management yet. We will discuss semester guidelines and update this post when that meeting has been completed.