Introduction: Capacitor Powered Car
Our Engineering Teacher gave us the task of making a capacitor powered car. He gave us a month or so to use whatever materials we had in the metal shop. The catch? We had to make it the smallest, lightest, and quickest that we could.
Total Dimensions:
Front: 1"
Back: 3"
Sides: 4"
We started with a drawing on SolidWorks, and from there we spent the next couple of weeks in the shop, fabricating the drawing.
We used:
>Power Drill
>hacksaw
>screwdriver, (flat head and phillips)
>screws
>washers
>shaft collars
>rubber and plastic wheels
>spur gears
>SolidWorks
>aluminum sheet
>two different sized axles
>allen wrenches
Step by Step:
1. Design chassis on SolidWorks
2. Print designed chassis from SolidWorks
3. Get a sheet of 12"x12", .015" thick sheet of aluminum
4. Cut two, one inch wide strips of aluminum. 4" in length. (these are going to be your sides. DON'T BEND THESE ONES)
5. Cut one, one inch wide strip, 3" in length. (this is the front of your car)
6. Cut one, one inch wide strip, 5" in length. (this is the back of your car)
7. Take the strip you cut in step 5 and bend one inch flanges on either end.
8. Do the same thing as step 7, but use the strip from step 6.
9. Measure .5" in the x direction and .5" in the y direction and mark a dot. This is where you are going to drill for the screws. Repeat this step 4 times. Also mark the two 4" long strips.
10. Drill the marked dots out and place your 4-40 screws into the holes.
11. Assemble chassis by putting the 4" strips inside the flanges, and put in the screws.
12. .2" underneath the screws and .5" from the folded side, mark another set of dots, this is for your axles.
13. Drill wholes to the desired size of your axle. Then fit your axle into the holes. (Before you put the axle through both holes slide your big spur gear on the axle.)
14. Put on your wheels.
15. You might need to use washers and shaft collars to keep your axle into place.
16. Go back to the leftover sheet of aluminum, and cut a 2.8" long, 1.61" wide rectangle.
17. Measure 1" in and bend it.
18. On the longer end of the mount that you made in steps 16-17, drill a couple holes corresponding with your motor holes. Place small spur gear on your motor and secure it. (Make sure you leave enough room for a screw driver to go between the back of your mount and your motor.)
19. Drill two holes through the back of your car into the mount you just made. (measure your center to center distance of your gears)
20. Attach using screws.
21. Move your big gear so it sits right under the small gear. Secure into place.
22. Fan-dangle the wires so that they are out of the way, charge your capacitor, let the capacitor rest between your motor and the back of the motor mount, and enjoy your car!
Total Dimensions:
Front: 1"
Back: 3"
Sides: 4"
We started with a drawing on SolidWorks, and from there we spent the next couple of weeks in the shop, fabricating the drawing.
We used:
>Power Drill
>hacksaw
>screwdriver, (flat head and phillips)
>screws
>washers
>shaft collars
>rubber and plastic wheels
>spur gears
>SolidWorks
>aluminum sheet
>two different sized axles
>allen wrenches
Step by Step:
1. Design chassis on SolidWorks
2. Print designed chassis from SolidWorks
3. Get a sheet of 12"x12", .015" thick sheet of aluminum
4. Cut two, one inch wide strips of aluminum. 4" in length. (these are going to be your sides. DON'T BEND THESE ONES)
5. Cut one, one inch wide strip, 3" in length. (this is the front of your car)
6. Cut one, one inch wide strip, 5" in length. (this is the back of your car)
7. Take the strip you cut in step 5 and bend one inch flanges on either end.
8. Do the same thing as step 7, but use the strip from step 6.
9. Measure .5" in the x direction and .5" in the y direction and mark a dot. This is where you are going to drill for the screws. Repeat this step 4 times. Also mark the two 4" long strips.
10. Drill the marked dots out and place your 4-40 screws into the holes.
11. Assemble chassis by putting the 4" strips inside the flanges, and put in the screws.
12. .2" underneath the screws and .5" from the folded side, mark another set of dots, this is for your axles.
13. Drill wholes to the desired size of your axle. Then fit your axle into the holes. (Before you put the axle through both holes slide your big spur gear on the axle.)
14. Put on your wheels.
15. You might need to use washers and shaft collars to keep your axle into place.
16. Go back to the leftover sheet of aluminum, and cut a 2.8" long, 1.61" wide rectangle.
17. Measure 1" in and bend it.
18. On the longer end of the mount that you made in steps 16-17, drill a couple holes corresponding with your motor holes. Place small spur gear on your motor and secure it. (Make sure you leave enough room for a screw driver to go between the back of your mount and your motor.)
19. Drill two holes through the back of your car into the mount you just made. (measure your center to center distance of your gears)
20. Attach using screws.
21. Move your big gear so it sits right under the small gear. Secure into place.
22. Fan-dangle the wires so that they are out of the way, charge your capacitor, let the capacitor rest between your motor and the back of the motor mount, and enjoy your car!