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Overall Design

Since this vehicle was a joint effort between my partner and I, I feel that it is important to consider the entire vehicle and how our two separate projects blended together simply and effectively 

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From the beginning of the project Aiden and I realized the importance in aligning our intended goals of the Baja car project.  We decided on three design parameters that must be maintained throughout our design process.  These parameters are listed below along with how they were accomplished.

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Design Parameters

  • Modularity

    • Simple manufacturing​

    • Fast assembly and teardown​

  • Low center of gravity

    • Large wheels

    • Flat chassis

    • Transverse leaf springs

  • Rear wheel drive

    • Power ​

    • Gear ratio

    • Differential​

Modularity

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For the Scarab, modularity comes in the form of 4 easily seperated modules; two identical suspension modules, drivetrain, and chassis.  This modular design not only forced our designs to be simpler but it also drastically improved manufacturability, due to a reduced number of custom parts needed.  We were also able to achieve a very low assembly time, using only 3 Allen keys and a Philips screwdriver.  Modularity is not all great however, the major sacrafice that had to be made was weight.  The Scarab weighted in at just over 7lbs.  I am certain that if we opted out of the modularity parameter we could have decreased this weight severely.  In the end we decided that the benefits mentioned above were worth their weight, literally. 

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All custom manufactrued parts on the Scarab are made from 6061 aluminum or 3D printed ABS plastic except the leaf springs which are made from spring steel.  6061 aluminum was chosen for its high strength to weight ratio, machinability, availability, and low cost.  

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raw materials

  • 1/4 inch 6061 aluminum sheet

  • 1/8 inch 6061 aluminum sheet

  • 2.0 inch 6061 aluminum round bar

  • stereo-lithographic 3D printed ABS plastic

Low center of gravity

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Designing a vehicle to be able to conquer any obstacle or terrain is a task that requires many compromises, however Keeping a low CG is not one of them.  For on-road applications a low CG will reduce body roll and increase handling.  In an off-road environment a low CG will reduce rollover risk and improve traction.  

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To accomplish a low CG in the Scarab Aiden used a transverse Leaf spring design that eliminated strut towers while I then made sure that the height of the Drivetrain stayed at or below the height of the suspension modules.

 

The large wheels allow the control arms and chassis to be nearly parallel with each other at static ride height.  This is how Aiden was able to minimize the center of gravity while still maintaining his ground clearance requirement.  

Rear wheel drive

 

Speed and acceleration are not only essential for on road performance but also allow 2wd vehicles to perform well off road.  A powerful brush-less motor and a gear ratio optimized for speed and acceleration was used to make the most out of the 2 wheel drive platform.  

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The differential essentially offers drive-ability to the Scarab.  Its  first job is to vector power to the wheel with the least traction AKA path of least resistance.  This allows the driver to maintain control of the vehicle under hard acceleration while experiencing wheel spin.  Its second job is to improve handling by allowing the outside wheel to turn faster while the Scarab is turning. 

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One of our largest and first expenses of the project was the wheels and tires.  At 2.8" wide with a diameter of 4.5" these soft knobby treads are essentially what the Scarab relies on for off road performance.  The tires, combined with the motors ability to spin them at over 2200 rpm and a differential smoothly apply this power to the ground, the Scarab is a seriously capable off-road machine.  

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