Testing Overview
The testing of the car is crucial to compete in the ASME competition. These tests will be derived from the requirements of the design. The requirements that are going to be tested are as follows. The car must be able to free roll in a straight line over 50 feet without steering input. The car must be able to withstand 2 feet drop to flat on all 4 wheels. The car must be operated via radio signal and have controls that are easy enough that someone without experience can operate. The drivetrain of the car must be able to propel the car up a 45 degree incline.
Speed Test:
The car will be tested in its acceleration and deceleration performance. The test will occur on level, even ground, most likely a parking lot. The car will be accelerated to top speed and will be timed as it travels across a measured distance. This measured distance along with the time it took to travel it will be used to calculate the speed of the car. This measurement will occur for acceleration, top speed, and braking.
Slalom test:
The car will be tested in a slalom course, to test the setup of the suspension components. This test will consist of weaving through cones placed at intervals and recording a head on view of the car to observe the suspension travel. No recordings will take place; however, this test will be used to optimize suspension setups for the most drivable experience.
Obstacle Course Test:
This test will consist of a pre-determined course of obstacles ranging from surface changes, rock climbing/descending, and stairs to descend. The deliverable of this test will consist of a timer which will record lap times. Other things that will result in this test will be the durability of components of the car. Driver skills will also improve as testing occurs, because of the practice and experience it provides to the driver.
Drop Test:
This test will test the suspension capabilities of the car. The deliverables of the test will be videos of suspension travel, as well as a height reading. The car will be dropped from various heights, and a recording on the ground will show how the suspension travel occurs. The video shown is the final drop test that passed. The images in the slide are in order of the first drop test to the final drop test.
Steering Test:
The steering test will be conducted so that the geometry of the steering system can be tested to ensure its functionality and accuracy. This will also ensure that the design function of driving in a straight line without any steering input. This will be done by placing tape on the ground in a straight line, and the car will be driven overtop the tape. If the car’s tires cross the tape on either right or left side, then the test would be considered a failure.
Incline Test:
The incline test will be conducted so that the drivetrain can be tested to complete the design requirement of being able to propel the car up a 45 degree incline. This will be done by driving the car up inclines varying lower than 45 degrees, and increasing the incline until the car can't propel itself.