Design page http://www.adobri.com/ProjectVe.aspx will be updated to reflect current changes on recent drawing in step by step vehicle design.

Wheels. Each wheel has 16 springs made from ether steel or carbon fiber. For steel’s it is easy to cut parts from specific thickness steel’s sheet and a coefficient for a Hooke’s formula can be easily calculated, confirmed and controlled. More complicated process is for a carbon fiber – all controllable parameters are: amount of layers (one, two, or three layers of a carbon fabric), different types of fabrics, and amount of epoxy (solo depends on a mold). The mold manufacturing can be complicated. It was chosen simple approach - first made 3D model and manufacture it at http://www.ponoko.com/showroom/TeamPlanB. Ponoko Personal Factory can produce parts from a plastic which is not suitable for real springs, but plastic model can be used in mold’s manufacturing. Then depend on a results (carbon fiber’s molding or steel springs cutting) can be made the decision: what is better. Arbitration are usual - the weight of a wheel, and performance at different temperature. Absence of a gear will definitely reduce weight, and springs flexibility can accumulate energy to get momentum enough to travel over obstacles and craters. Coefficient in Hooke’s formula and precision delivery of a momentum by stepper motors can pump energy (using resonance frequency) into a spring system and a precision release (of that energy) will give jump’s type of movement for a vehicle. This is similar to a case (if somebody remember from past) when a car was stuck with one wheel at road’s hole, small oscillation (as back and forward push) can release car from road trap. From another hand (to save a time) plastic parts can be used in vehicle software development, some flexibility plastic already has and braking plastic part can be indication of a proper resonance frequency achieved. Wona stated that this type of wheel is totally useless without controllable software.

Problems:
1. How to make a mold for carbon fiber? Probable answer on that question – to order mold from a different type of ceramic/plastic.
2. How to control stiffness/elasticity for carbon fiber’s springs? Probable answer – to make 3 different (1, 2, or 3 layers of carbon springs) and use combination of different springs.
3. How to calculate resonance frequency of a wheel in assembly? Probable answer – software has to be adaptable to different parameters/performance of springs.
4. Does it require carbon fiver clothe wrap to make bigger surface contact? Answer for this question is actually: Yes

Blender files available. SW file coming soon.