Co2 Car Analysis

Based on the structure of my CO2 car, it is considered to be a rail car. There are many features that represent the car as a railcar, such as the narrow “rail” that connects the front axle of my car to the back. Typically, on a railcar, the wheels are located on the exterior of the car, unlike a shell car, in which the wheels are hidden inside the vehicle. Another distinctive aspect of my car is that the rail is very low to the ground, and the front, and back (which has to hold the CO2 cartridge) rises up abruptly. The thin rails of my car also reduce the weight of my car, which then helps to increase speed. The front of the car has a slope which starts at a height above the axle. This aerodynamic feature will most likely increase the speed …show more content…
My CO2 car doesn’t exactly having a “#1 car” design for speed. There are multiple positives to my car, but a few negatives structurally as well. The wheels are on the external of the car, which potentially will lead to a lack of aerodynamics and reduce speed overall. Also, the body shape tends to encourage drag. On the other hand, my car also may do somewhat well. The thin rails reduce weight, and a reduced weight leads to an increase in speed. My CO2 car also has rails and a base that is low to the ground, which will also play a role in making the car travel faster. Comparing to other cars, such as a normal/show car, in the speed facet of the race, my car will most likely have better results. This is because show cars are made to look attractive, not necessarily to gain inertia on the race track. They may have some aerodynamic features, but the main purpose of the car is to look good. The shell car, on the other hand, may acquire better results than a rail car. This goes back to the idea of internal and external wheels. In a shell car, the wheels are hidden inside the car, which lets the car flow more freely through the air without the wheels stopping it in any way. Also, most shell cars have a smooth sloped top, which also lets the wind glide right off of it, and lets the car go greater distances with less effort. The purpose for a shell car in general …show more content…
One element I discovered when performing these tasks were the different types of sketches used to show and describe an idea. The two sketches we mainly worked with were thumbnail sketches and orthographic drawings. These types of drawings let the architect express what the car and details will look like, and a few views of different perspectives of the car or structure. A few other types of drawings would include isometric, one point perspective, two point perspective, etc. Further along the way, I also learned how to better cut the base shape of my car on the bandsaw by using cuts called relief cts. Also, I learned that cutting on the line is a bad idea because I would eventually get to sanding it off. Soon, I learned a few tips for the disc belt sander to help my car get the best and smoothest shape possible. A main idea I learned from most of the first weeks was that my design of the car was going to change in a large way. I had to do a lot of redesigning in order to get my desired car structure and fulfil the requirements to race. Later, I learned that sanding a car to the best takes more than 10 minutes. For me, it actually took more than a full class period. What was interesting was the fact that if you sanded first with the 80 grain, then with the 120 grain, and then 240 grain, your car becomes surprisingly smooth and soft. Sanding with different grains adjusts rugged textures into a more polished feeling. In