Olin College Human Powered Vehicles Team
Overview
For the past 3 years I have been a member of Olin College's award-winning Human Powered Vehicles (HPV) Team. Every year we design, build and race a fully-fared recumbent vehicle in the ASME Human Powered Vehicles Challenge. Our website can be found here.
Being part of the HPV team has been a crucial part of my engineering education. I have gained valuable experience designing for fabrication, implementing mechanisms in dynamic systems, modeling complex loads in FEA and using CAD. Going through the design process from a concept sketch to a working assembled system (with many iterations in between) is probably the most gratifying part of being an engineer.
Each year I have been on the team I have worked on multiple parts of the vehicle. This year, I am leading 1/2 of the HPV team designing and building a leaning trike. I have my hands in all aspects of the vehicle, but I am specifically working on our novel drivetrain system and frame geometry design. I am also taking on a large role in machine-shop fabrication, especially utilizing the CNC mill.
On our 2012 vehicle, I spent a lot of time doing faring fabrication and design work on the rider variation compensation system (RVCS). For the Plaid Panther, our 2013 vehicle, I played a large role in redesigning the RVCS to cut weight. I also did some machining for various sub-systems and carbon layups for the faring.
Project Highlights
2011-2012 Vehicle, Seabagel
2012-2013 Vehicle, The Plaid Panther
2013-2014 Vehicle, TBD
For the leaning trike we have designed a new rotating arm RVCS as well as a single joint leaning steering mechanism. Next semester we will fabricate our fared race vehicle for the ASME Challenge.
For the past 3 years I have been a member of Olin College's award-winning Human Powered Vehicles (HPV) Team. Every year we design, build and race a fully-fared recumbent vehicle in the ASME Human Powered Vehicles Challenge. Our website can be found here.
Being part of the HPV team has been a crucial part of my engineering education. I have gained valuable experience designing for fabrication, implementing mechanisms in dynamic systems, modeling complex loads in FEA and using CAD. Going through the design process from a concept sketch to a working assembled system (with many iterations in between) is probably the most gratifying part of being an engineer.
Each year I have been on the team I have worked on multiple parts of the vehicle. This year, I am leading 1/2 of the HPV team designing and building a leaning trike. I have my hands in all aspects of the vehicle, but I am specifically working on our novel drivetrain system and frame geometry design. I am also taking on a large role in machine-shop fabrication, especially utilizing the CNC mill.
On our 2012 vehicle, I spent a lot of time doing faring fabrication and design work on the rider variation compensation system (RVCS). For the Plaid Panther, our 2013 vehicle, I played a large role in redesigning the RVCS to cut weight. I also did some machining for various sub-systems and carbon layups for the faring.
Project Highlights
2011-2012 Vehicle, Seabagel
- Drivetrain: RVCS allows for riders with 8" height variation to ride the vehicle. It features a set of adjustable pedals attached to a 4-bar linkage, allowing for quick pit changes.
- Faring: monocoque carbon-fiber structure fully encloses the rider and has mounting capabilities for all subsystems.
- Aerodynamic vehicle shape is optimized for low drag (Simulated STAR-CCM+ Fd = 3.94 N).
- Landing Gear: our slow speed stability system (SSSS) featured deployable training wheels to allow the bike to start and stop without assistance. The rider deploys the SSSS by clenching a lever on the handlebars and they are actuated using power takeoff from the back wheel.
- Won 3rd place overall and 1st place for design innovation at competition.
2012-2013 Vehicle, The Plaid Panther
- Significant weight reduction from 2011-2012 vehicle (around 15%).
- Drivetrain: improved RVCS by cutting 2 lbs off weight and performing detailed FEA on designs.
- Faring: monocoque carbon-fiber structure fully encloses the rider. All the subsystems are mounted to it.
- Frame: aluminum square-tubing for weight reduction and easier subsystem mounting.
- Further improved aerodynamics of vehicle and chose shape to minimize surface area of faring (Simulated STAR-CCM+ Fd = 3.6 N).
- Landing Gear: overhauled SSSS design to have a spring actuated system.
- Won 8th place overall and 3rd place for design innovation at competition.
2013-2014 Vehicle, TBD
For the leaning trike we have designed a new rotating arm RVCS as well as a single joint leaning steering mechanism. Next semester we will fabricate our fared race vehicle for the ASME Challenge.