User:Stephen.eide/ENES-100/project 2

=Week 0 Introduction= Airplane float =Week 1 Narrative= Tasks:
 * Design a rubber band airplane which will float in the air for 30 seconds
 * Design testing protocol for airplane float tests
 * Create Center-of-Gravity test from p1w4

Doing:

Testing will be done as follows:
 * 1) Find open area with no obstructions and minimal wind.
 * 2) Twist propeller in opposite direction of its natural spin 100 times to tighten rubber band.
 * 3) Hold plane 6 feet above ground in hands, making sure propeller doesn't start yet.
 * 4) Before throwing, let propeller start spinning.
 * 5) Throw plane by moving hand forward around 4".
 * 6) Use stopwatch to count how many seconds the plane stays in the air.
 * 7) Record other notes (nosedives, heavy tails, any propeller issues, etc.).
 * 8) Repeat test 5 times per model to make sure numbers are repeatable.

Testing is done with 5.25" computer drive bay (Dimensions: 5 3/4" * 3/8" * 1 5/8") If propeller is too big, hang front end off of a table.
 * 1) Place model plane on top of drive bay.
 * 2) Adjust plane until it stays balanced on top of the drive bay.
 * 3) Mark point where plane stays balanced.
 * 4) Place front wing centered on top of mark.

Next Steps:
 * Attach wing to the fuselage.
 * Record data of flights with this wing.
 * Compare data to flights with wings teammates made.

=Week 3 Narrative= Tasks:
 * Finish making model using wing from Project 2 Week 2
 * Place model through testing protocol

Doing: The coffee stirrers are wooden sticks with a length of 6.875 inches and a width of 0.1875 inches.

Horizontal stabilizer was made using 1 coffee stirrer for length and 1/3 a stirrer for the width.

Dimensions for the horizontal stabilizer: 6.875 in. x 2.292 in. Wrapped in plastic wrap in the same way that the wings in Project 2 Week 2

Attached horizontal stabilizer to the fuselage (Dimensions: 10 in. x 0.125 in.). Found and marked center of gravity on fuselage. Placed wing slightly in front of center of gravity.

Wingspan: 19.5 in.

Body Length: 10 in.

Weight: 12.8g

Average flight: 0.8 seconds

Flight notes: Definitely tail-heavy. Stalled or backflipped on every throw.

After noticing this, I placed a coiled spring on the front for weight. I used a pen cap as a temporary way to keep spring on.

Weight with coiled spring: 19.2g

Average flight: 1 second

Flight notes: Flew straight. No flips. Descended quickly though. Maybe too front-heavy, but better than stalling.

Though not recorded in numbers, the plane with the coil on the front tends to fly longer when thrown harder. Consider revising test protocols?

Next Steps:
 * PRIORITY: Find out how to make elevators for wing (to compensate for a slightly front-heavy plane)
 * Revise test protocols referring to plane launch (how to define a harder throw)
 * Change wing shape to increase lift?

=Week 4 Narrative= Tasks:
 * Wrapping up Airplane Float project
 * Becoming familiar with new project
 * Creating goals for new project

Doing:

Correct Theory of Lift

Incorrect Theory of Lift

As far as the Airplane Float, found that lift is generated by the turning of a moving fluid, in this case the air. The wings have a slightly asymmetric top and bottom, and the camber (shape of the wing) points down slightly at the aft-end. Along with this, I reasoned that our group's flat-wing designs, even with polyhedral wings (wings that change angle more than once on the wingspan), would need much more velocity to produce any lift. Considered different options for changing the wing camber while using the same materials. Then, the project got disbanded.



Puttputt Golf
Tasks:
 * Look at creative ideas used by past HCC puttputt projects.

Doing:

This is the only project page I found. This group designed a pendulum obstacle for a mini golf hole. The motor for the pendulum was created using an Inkjet printer motor programmed with an Ardrino Uno and an ADA-Fruit motor shield. No pictures or video to show for it.

Goal: Use Arduinos to control motors in obstacles to make an interesting mini golf hole. The actual hole is going to be created.

Next:
 * Find an Arduino and a motor shield to start experimenting with.
 * Design 1-2 obstacles to be controlled. (How they move superficially; how the machine will be made on the inside.)
 * Look through these projects
 * Look through these projects