The days are beginning to blend together as the team moves forward towards our June 8th deadline. Last Friday was a good break from the mundane as we hosted tours of 3rd grade students from the Portage area. Nick got the star treatment of the day because the kids all wanted the driver's signature after he took the car for a spin. Later that day, the team managed to free the array from its mold, with no damage to either part!
The spars were glued into the body and a lightweight filler was placed around the edges of the material to provide a radius for the fiberglass strips that will reinforce the spars. Several team members have also been assisting Dr. Bazuin and Dr. Kapenga in preparing the car for its electrical components.
AJ, Nick, and myself, with some assistance from others, have begun machining some of the steel parts for the car, such as suspension mounts and the roll cage. Many of our aluminum components are being machined by Glenn Hall, John Cernius, and John Hurry, the owner of a local machining business.
Bronco Pride,
Joshua
May 26, 2010
May 19, 2010
The Final Lay-up
The weekend saw another step forward in the progress of the build. The array mold was removed from the plug, some minor damage was repaired, and then the surface was polished. Starting Monday, we laid the material for the array into the mold and vacuum bagged it to remove excess resin. Earlier today the bag was removed from the final layer and we are all very happy about the quality of the part. The plan for tomorrow is to remove the array part from the mold.
The spars are nearing the point of installation. Megan and Kenwood sanded the surfaces of the spars in preparation for bonding them together with strips of fiberglass. The fiberglass bonding will be performed in a few days, at which point the spars will also be permanently installed into the body.
Earlier today, Megan and Courtney had some training sessions in the 2005 car. Neither of them were very familiar with the car so they only did laps in a parking lot and around the WMU Business Technology Research Park.
Bronco Pride,
Joshua
The spars are nearing the point of installation. Megan and Kenwood sanded the surfaces of the spars in preparation for bonding them together with strips of fiberglass. The fiberglass bonding will be performed in a few days, at which point the spars will also be permanently installed into the body.
Earlier today, Megan and Courtney had some training sessions in the 2005 car. Neither of them were very familiar with the car so they only did laps in a parking lot and around the WMU Business Technology Research Park.
Bronco Pride,
Joshua
May 14, 2010
Busy Times
Sorry about the delay in this post. We have been so busy with the car that I haven't had the time or energy to write a new entry. But that should also speak for how much progress the team has made in the past week.
The primary projects for the past week have been the array mold and the lower body spars. The array plug received its final coating of primer Friday. Over the weekend several team members spent countless hours sanding the plug to a nice, smooth surface. Then the plug was polished and coated in mold release compounds. Starting early this week, the mold was constructed one layer of fiberglass at a time. The plywood braces were attached and reinforced. We hope to remove the plug later tonight.
The lower body has been receiving its fair share of attention as well. Sheets of Plascore board have been cut following templates printed from a CAD program (a great example of cooperation between our build and design teams.) Over the past few day we have been working on trimming the pieces for a precision fit.
A few other tasks have been completed this week. Megan began sorting through the tool boxes and Tim checked the tires for age cracks. Much of the metal that will be required to build the suspension and roll cage were purchased, and the team went to seen a screening of the film "Cherry", which was partially shot here at Parkview in 2008.
These past few weeks would not be possible without the support of all the staff here at Parkview. The Dean's Office has backed the team's efforts 100%, the staff in the IME and Advising offices have provided several home-cooked meals for the team. Fred Sitkins has serviced the team in many ways, from securing vehicles for us to use on the race, to gaining donations of food and drinks. Glenn Hall and John Cernius have and continue to assist the team in the fabrication of the suspension and internal frame of the vehicle. To all these people, and those not mentioned, the team extends our heartfelt gratitude. Without your support, this project could not become a reality!
Bronco Pride,
Joshua
The primary projects for the past week have been the array mold and the lower body spars. The array plug received its final coating of primer Friday. Over the weekend several team members spent countless hours sanding the plug to a nice, smooth surface. Then the plug was polished and coated in mold release compounds. Starting early this week, the mold was constructed one layer of fiberglass at a time. The plywood braces were attached and reinforced. We hope to remove the plug later tonight.
The lower body has been receiving its fair share of attention as well. Sheets of Plascore board have been cut following templates printed from a CAD program (a great example of cooperation between our build and design teams.) Over the past few day we have been working on trimming the pieces for a precision fit.
A few other tasks have been completed this week. Megan began sorting through the tool boxes and Tim checked the tires for age cracks. Much of the metal that will be required to build the suspension and roll cage were purchased, and the team went to seen a screening of the film "Cherry", which was partially shot here at Parkview in 2008.
These past few weeks would not be possible without the support of all the staff here at Parkview. The Dean's Office has backed the team's efforts 100%, the staff in the IME and Advising offices have provided several home-cooked meals for the team. Fred Sitkins has serviced the team in many ways, from securing vehicles for us to use on the race, to gaining donations of food and drinks. Glenn Hall and John Cernius have and continue to assist the team in the fabrication of the suspension and internal frame of the vehicle. To all these people, and those not mentioned, the team extends our heartfelt gratitude. Without your support, this project could not become a reality!
Bronco Pride,
Joshua
May 5, 2010
The Final Push Begins
Finals are over and the college has become eerily quiet with only one exception. The Plastics lab here at the Parkview campus is full of activity. Through the entire month of May, the WMU Sunseeker team will be putting in long hours to see the project through to completion for the rayce, which begins on June 12th. Over the past week the progress has been remarkable.
The lower body was finally released from the mold on Saturday. Although there was some damage to the exterior surface, it still exceeds our expectations. Most of the damage was repaired yesterday and today and the plan is to have it moving on to the next step in the process by early next week.
The foam plug for the array was also worked on this past week. A layer of spackle was placed onto the foam to give a smooth surface. Once that was completed, we applied a protective layer of PVA. Yesterday, Doc sprayed the first layer of primer onto the plug. Today's task has been to fill and sand the imperfections in the surface so the application of primer can continue Friday.
Tonight, we also had a team meeting to discuss where we are on the project. There is lots of work to do and many components of the car to assemble, but things are looking up. Be sure to follow along as we breathe life into the many ideas and designs, turning this car into a reality.
Bronco Pride,
Joshua
The lower body was finally released from the mold on Saturday. Although there was some damage to the exterior surface, it still exceeds our expectations. Most of the damage was repaired yesterday and today and the plan is to have it moving on to the next step in the process by early next week.
The foam plug for the array was also worked on this past week. A layer of spackle was placed onto the foam to give a smooth surface. Once that was completed, we applied a protective layer of PVA. Yesterday, Doc sprayed the first layer of primer onto the plug. Today's task has been to fill and sand the imperfections in the surface so the application of primer can continue Friday.
Tonight, we also had a team meeting to discuss where we are on the project. There is lots of work to do and many components of the car to assemble, but things are looking up. Be sure to follow along as we breathe life into the many ideas and designs, turning this car into a reality.
Bronco Pride,
Joshua
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