Suggested Improvements

One of the main issues that last year's design team faced was solar power.  Currently, last year's design does not include a charging mechanism connecting the solar station and the vehicle, and the panels that are attached are not actually functional.
I understand solar integration is one of the many goals for this year, and I wonder if and how it will affect the structural integrity of the system.  There is a solar mount built for the scale model, but it has not yet been integrated to power the system.  A loading analysis was done in regard to the solar panel mounting, and they found the bracket to move with an acceptable deflection of just 0.04mm.  However, the components that will be required to integrate the rail system and the solar system have not been taken into account, and will require more analysis.  Temperature, loading, and fatigue will all need to be taken into consideration when analyzing the additional circuits and housing we want to add this year.

2014-2015 Spartan Superway Team 2015