My Assignment:
In my Power Technology 9 class I was assigned to make a CO2 Drag Race Car. The Drag Race Car would either be designed for speed and a good time in the race that everyone would do at the end or, for an appealing and creative design. First we sketch our car designs for what we’re doing(speed or looks), then after we edit the design so we could fit in the right measurements that are in criteria.
Identify:
In order for me to be successful with my design I must incorporate room in my design for the CO2 Cartridge and space for the holes where the wheels will be. The car also had to be sanded smooth creating a nice look. So, no scraches should be visible. Since I went for a speed design, one of the more challenging aspects is getting the aerodynamics right. I wanted my car to be as fast as possible when it came to the race.
Inspire:
Aside from from CO2 cars I looked at race cars for inspiration.
Both built for speed I would piece together the similarities they had and the differences.
Interpolate:
A common feature I noticed when researching designs, is the cars are very smooth and weren’t that chunky. So, I figured I want to keep my car skinny with a lightweight structure. Small enough that it would fly down the track but, not flimsy that it would catch the air and slow down.
Imagine:
I decided that I would make my car light on the bottom and smooth and sharp on the top so, it would pierce the air.
Even though my car was for speed I wanted it to still look good and different then everyone else’s designs. I decided I wanted to put grooves on it to look unique.
Inspect:
Along the way of creating my car I would use a ruler to make sure the measurements matched my drawing. I left room to drill the holes for the cartridge and the wheels. I cut a lot off the bottom to give it less weight. Once I finished making the grooves with the chisel I sanded it smooth. In the end it kinda looked like tree bark after I did the grooves. When I had to spray paint it, I thought it would be cool to paint it like a tree.
I’m happy how my project turned out and process taught me to be thorough with my work. In the end it pays off.
(I got the best time with 0.91 seconds 🙂 )