Engineering Experience 4: Design a Small Solar Vehicle
![]() |
Subject classification: this is a language-learning resource. |
Goals
editThe central theme of the engineering Experience 4 - project is "Make things work". A team of students designs and builds a ‘Small Solar Vehicle’ (SSV), taking a limited budget into account. To do so, the team receives a solar panel and a DC-motor. The Vehicle is also subjected to a number of tests and its behaviour is to be predicted, first using simple calculations by hand; next using simulation software. In the end, every SSV will take part in a “solar-race”. Moreover, additional grades are to be gained in other categories. Next, the team does a critical analysis on the SSV and the existing Umicar, a competitive race car on solar energy that master students of Group T have built. The analysis is carried out in the fields: aerodynamics, dynamics, strength of materials, material knowledge, maths and energy. The team must also make a strategic marketing plan for a truthful miniature model of the "Umicar".
Pictures
edit- some images of the race (May 2011).
- beauty and innovation contest
- some images of the race (May 2013).
Learning materials
editReadings and other resources
edit- The original tour for newcomers
- How to edit a page
- Dutch version: Engineering Experience 4: Ontwerp van een miniatuur zonnewagen
Lessons
edit- Seminar 1: Introduction
- Seminar 2: DC-motor and solar panel
- Seminar 3: gear ratio and race strategy
- Seminar 2: Matlab-Simulink
- Seminar 2: Fablab
Groups 2014
editGroups 2013
edit- 2013: Team PM19
- 2013: Team PM20
- 2013: Team PM21
- 2013: Team AM1
- 2013: Team AM2
- 2013: Team PM18
- 2013: Team PM8
Groups 2012
edit- 2012: Team PM8
- 2012: Team PM9
- 2012: Team PM10
- 2012: Team PM11
- 2012: Team PM12
- 2012: Team PM13
- 2012: Team PM14
- 2012: Team PM7