BATTERY BUGGY

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BATTERY BUGGY
Mike Johnson
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2010 BATTERY BUGGY

• LAY PERSONS EVENT DESCRIPTION
• Teams will construct a battery-powered vehicle
  that
• moves as fast as humanly possible, and
• moves as straight as humanly possible, and
• stops as precisely as humanly possible at one of
  a series of pre-determined distances.

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2010 BATTERY BUGGY
DESCRIPTION Teams will construct a vehicle that
uses electrical energy as its sole means of
propulsion, quickly travels a specified distance,
and stops as close as possible to the center of
the finish line. TEAM SIZE 1 or 2
students IMPOUNDMENT Yes EVENT TIME 10
minutes to start two runs
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2010 BATTERY BUGGY THE TRACK
Regional Increments 50 cm State Increments 10
cm National Increments 1 cm
Starting Line
Target Line
5.00 m
10.00 m
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2010 BATTERY BUGGY CONSTRUCTION PARAMETERS

• Students will design a vehicle to travel between
  5 and 10 meters as quickly as possible and come
  to a complete stop without straying from the
  tracks center.
• The exact target distance (in 50.0 cm intervals
  for regional, 10.0 cm intervals for state, and
  1.0 cm intervals for national tournaments) will
  be chosen by the Event Supervisor.
• The exact target distance will not be announced
  until all vehicles have been impounded on the day
  of the competition.

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2010 BATTERY BUGGY CONSTRUCTION PARAMETERS

• Electrical energy used within the vehicle for any
  purpose must be stored in common, commercially
  available batteries labeled with their voltage by
  the manufacturer.
• The vehicle may use no more than 4 individual
  cells (labeled 1.5 volts or less each) or a
  single battery pack (labeled 4.8 volts or less)
  on the vehicle at one time.
• No more than 4 additional cells or one additional
  battery pack may be impounded for replacement
  purposes.
• Only energy stored in these batteries may be used
  to propel the vehicle.

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2010 BATTERY BUGGY CONSTRUCTION PARAMETERS

• Only the vehicle batteries and/or additional
  non-electric energy storing devices may be used
  to operate other functions (e.g. braking system)
  provided these other functions do NOT help propel
  the vehicle in any way.
• All sources of energy shall be in a location as
  to be available for inspection by the Event
  Supervisor.
• Components may be purchased or made by the
  contestants (e.g. motors, gearboxes, bodies, and
  chassis). Electric components shall be limited
  to batteries, wires, motors, switches, resistors,
  capacitors, and mechanical relays.

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2010 BATTERY BUGGY CONSTRUCTION PARAMETERS

• Sighting devices that do not use electricity are
  allowed and may be removed from the vehicle prior
  to a run.
• The vehicles wheel base must be between 24.0 cm
  and 28.0 cm.
• The vehicles track width may not exceed 19.0 cm.
• The vehicle must have a fixed, pointed object
  extending forward of all other parts of the
  vehicle including the wheels and to within 1 cm
  of the track's surface.
• No part of the vehicle, other than the wheels,
  may contact the floor or tape defining the track.

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2010 BATTERY BUGGY THE VEHICLE
Batteries
MOTOR
Track Widthlt 19.0 cm

• Fixed Point
• Forward of all other parts
• lt 1.0 cm above track surface

Wheel Base24.0 28.0 cm
Batteries
Four 1.5V batteries -OR- One 4.8V battery
pack
lt 1.0 cm
Track Surface
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2010 BATTERY BUGGY THE VEHICLE

• CONSTRUCTION RECOMMENDATIONS
• This event will NOT be simple START EARLY!!!
• The vehicles wheel base must be between 24.0 cm
  and 28.0 cm design your wheel base to be about
  26 cm.
• The vehicles maximum wheel width is 19.0
  cmdesign your wheel width to be less than 18
  cm.
• The vehicles fixed, pointed object must extend
  down to within 1.0 cm of the tracks surface
  design your fixed point to be about 0.75 cm above
  the track.

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2010 BATTERY BUGGY THE VEHICLE

• CONSTRUCTION RECOMMENDATIONS
• Ensure fixed pointed object is obviously the most
  forward part of the vehicle.
• Battery drain is substantial disposable
  batteries become expensive consider
  rechargeable batteries.
• A design with adjustable steering is VERY
  desirable.
• Design Goal Simple, robust, failsafe, precise,
  adjustable, and consistent.
• This event will NOT be simple START EARLY!!!

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2010 BATTERY BUGGY THE COMPETITION
Starting Line
5.00 m
10.00 m
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2010 BATTERY BUGGY COMPETITION PARAMETERS

• The vehicle, batteries, and other interchangeable
  parts must be impounded before the start of the
  competition.
• Power tools requiring an electrical outlet will
  not be allowed.
• Only contestants, the Event Supervisor, and
  judges are allowed in the impound and the
  competition areas while teams are competing.
• Teams will be given an Event Time of l0 minutes
  to perform the following actions and start up to
  2 runs. If the second run has started before the
  l0 minute period has elapsed, it will be allowed
  to run to completion.

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2010 BATTERY BUGGY COMPETITION PARAMETERS

• Time used by the Event Supervisor for assessment
  and measuring will not be included in the Event
  Time.
• Teams may adjust their vehicle before each run
  (change its speed, distance, directional
  control, change batteries or make changes from
  impounded parts).
• Teams may use their own measuring devices to
  verify the track dimensions.
• They may not verify the distance by rolling the
  vehicle on or adjacent to the track surface
  between the start and finish line at any time
  prior to or during the competition.

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2010 BATTERY BUGGY COMPETITION PARAMETERS

• Teams must start their vehicle anywhere along the
  Starting Line with the fixed point directly above
  it.

• Students may place a target at the Target Line to
  aid in aligning the vehicle, but it must be
  removed by the team before starting each run.
• Contestants must start the vehicle using a
  pencil, pen, dowel or similar device (which is
  not part of and does not travel with the vehicle)
  to actuate some sort of switch.
• It is considered a run if the vehicle moves after
  the switch is actuated.

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2010 BATTERY BUGGY COMPETITION PARAMETERS

• They may not touch the vehicle to start it, hold
  it in place while actuating the switch or "push"
  the vehicle to get it started.
• The entire vehicle, including batteries, must
  move forward together.
• Contestants may not follow their vehicle down the
  track. The Event Supervisor will summon them to
  observe their finish distance and retrieve their
  vehicle.
• The Official Run Time will start when the vehicle
  begins forward motion and ends when the vehicle
  comes to a complete stop.

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2010 BATTERY BUGGY COMPETITION PARAMETERS

• If a vehicle does not move upon actuation of the
  switch, the students may request to set up for
  another try at a run. The failure to move shall
  not count as a run. The students will still be
  working within the ten minute Event Time.
• If the vehicle travels in the wrong direction, it
  will be considered a failed run. If a vehicle
  inadvertently begins a run, it will also be
  considered a failed run. A failed run counts as
  a run with no score.
• Teams who wish to file an appeal must leave their
  vehicle with the Event Supervisor.

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2010 BATTERY BUGGY THE SCORE

• LOW SCORE determines the winner.
• Run Score is the sum of
• Time Score
• Distance Score
• Center Line Score
• Lowest (i.e. best) of the two Run Scores is used.

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2010 BATTERY BUGGY THE TIME SCORE

• Time Score
• The Time Score is 20X the Official Run Time
  (measured in seconds to the hundredth of a
  second) for the vehicle to move from the Starting
  Line to a complete stop.

Example Vehicles Run Time is 7.89
seconds. 7.89 seconds 20 157.8 points
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2010 BATTERY BUGGY THE TIME SCORE
Starting Line
Run time is 7.89 seconds
7.89 seconds 20 157.8 points
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2010 BATTERY BUGGY THE DISTANCE SCORE

• Distance Score
• The Distance Score shall be the distance from the
  tip of the fixed point to the point at the center
  of the Target Line recorded in millimeters.

Example Vehicle stops 1234 mm from
Target. 1234 mm 1234 points
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2010 BATTERY BUGGY THE DISTANCE SCORE
Starting Line
Distance 1234 mm
1234 mm 1234 points
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2010 BATTERY BUGGY THE CENTER LINE SCORE

• Center Line Score
• A Center Line Score of -20 points will be awarded
  if the center tape remains completely within the
  vehicle's track while the vehicle travels between
  the Starting Line and the Target Line.
• This bonus will be awarded even if the tip of the
  fixed point or the entire vehicle crosses the
  Target Line.

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2010 BATTERY BUGGY THE CENTER LINE SCORE
-20 point bonus!!
Starting Line
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2010 BATTERY BUGGY THE CENTER LINE SCORE
No bonus!!
Starting Line
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2010 BATTERY BUGGY THE CENTER LINE SCORE
If the any of the Center Line tape is visible
outside of a wheel at any time, then the Center
Line bonus will not be awarded.
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2010 BATTERY BUGGY THE SCORE

• LOW SCORE determines the winner.
• Run Score is the sum of
• Time Score
• Distance Score
• Center Line Score
• Lowest of the two Run Scores is used.

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2010 BATTERY BUGGY THE SCORE
Determination of TIERS Tier 1 Any runs with no
violations. Tier 2 Any runs with run
violations. Tier 3 Any runs with construction
violations or both run and construction
violations.
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2010 BATTERY BUGGY
QUESTIONS?