Non-structured R/C Buggy Body Shell - Coursework Example

Non-structured R/C Buggy Body Shell Introduction The Radio control(R/C) cars are popular and they range from cars that are common inelectronics and toy stores to those cars manufactured by companies like HPI Racing. The R/C cars range from trucks, off-road buggies, monster trucks, street trucks, and cars. Basing on the current technology, Radio control cars are in two forms: "toy" trucks or cars advertised during cartoon shows on radio or television and sold at toy and electronics stores. On common grounds, type two remote-controlled cars, are the "kit" trucks or cars that are sold at mail-order companies and or specialized hobby shops. These cars or trucks are available as "Ready To Run" or build-it-yourself kit. The distinction of these two types is clearly outlined as "remote controlled", which are the toy-style cars while the kit-style cars are the "radio control". It is indispensable if not factual that the popularity of R/C cars has undoubtedly risen in the recent years. They are now the models of innovation in most countries and their uses in many global competitions have seen technology behind their manufacturing become impressed in other sectors of development. Most certainly, Radio-controlled (R/C) cars are the model of cars or trucks that are self-powered. These cars are advantageous such that they are controlled from a distance using a specialized transmitter gadget (Dawson, C, 1992). As they are, the word R/C implies remote controlled, or radio controlled cars. In this respect, remote controlled vehicles include a range of vehicles that are to their controller via a wire. However, the current use of the word R/C has become limited to vehicles that are by the radio-frequency link (Dawson, C, 1992). It is worth noting that trucks and cars have different sources that power them up. For instance, the electrical model cars are powered by powerful electrical motors, or the brushless electric motors and rechargeable lithium polymer or nickel-cadmium cells. For the case, of the fuel powered models, also called nitro cars, the mixture of methanol, synthetic oil, castor oil, as well as nitro methane work well when they are in the small combustion engines. The beginner find it easy using the electrical vehicles relative to the fuel-driven models though the electrical vehicles are complex as they require specialized skill (Dawson, C, 1992). In both cases, the two categories (the on-road and the off-road) vehicles are often in supply. More often than not, the off-road models have a fully functional off-road suspension with most of them having wide tires for use on different terrains. The on-road cars, on the other hand, are built with much less robust suspensions, and are common on smooth paved surfaces. In this paper, the term Radio-control buggy is the central focus. The paper seeks to outline the design and production of a none-structural body shell of RC buggy in an effort to come up with a unique model that is fit for the ever expanding market. Design. The Materials. The basic requirement, in so far as designing the R/C buggy is concern has to be materials. It is, therefore, necessary to come up with a list of them. The most fundamental, in this case, includes Clay, form or wood for the shape, 1/8 rims, Gel-coat, fiberglass, Slick tires, Charcoal Respirator (Fiber Glast Development corporation, 2011). Manufacturing. The process of designing the R/C buggy entails various processes. In this respect, the manufacturing process would involve building a 1/8 scale AudiR9GT body shell for my FGF2. The key objective is to come up with a GT body that enables an awesome handling of f1 chassis. In this case, the starting process would involve the use of clay and wood for making the correct shape and size. This would require a slick, hard surface that can allow mold release to be applied (Dawson, C, 1992). This will be followed by spraying the gel-coat on the outside part of the plug using gel-coat spray gun. Upon doing this, there will be a need to have a thick layer of fiberglass constructed on top of the plug with supports in order to make it firm and rigid. This process is followed by checking to see if it is possible to plug the outer layer from the former, original plug. In this case, if all is well, it is expected that, at the end of this process, it should be possible to have a tremendously slick female mode. If it is confirmed, then the next process would involve applying mold into it while spraying the gel-coat into the mold using gel-coat spray gun, as well as applying layers of fiberglass until the level of thickness is achieved for the car body. This should allow the finished slick body to be pulled out easily. The detailed cut lines would include wheel wells, alongside the recessed body panels lines made for the realistic appearance. It would also be made of the rear hatch, door handles, grille, with detailed molded headlights. It is also much worth noting that, the R/C bugger would have the pre-drilled holes necessary for the mounting antenna, body pins, as well as posts. Moreover, the R/C buggy would have extensive decal set which include cooper logos, hood straps, and window masking materials, door handles, tail lights, window trim, latches, and windscreen wipers. All this is done making sure there are no reverse curves in order to get the best body out of it. At the end of the whole process, the buggy would have the Gel-coat on the outside of the body. The Shape and the layout of the R/C Buggy The specification of the R/C Buggy would be such that its length will be 360mm, with frontal wheels of width 150mm, 182mm at rear wheels and 120mm for the highest point. In addition, the wheel base would be 580mm, ground clearance: 19mm, tire width front: 27/29mm, and Rear: 46/89mm. DESIGN SKETCH OF BODY SHELL. Fig 01 showing the side view sketch of an R/C Buggy body shell Fig 02 showing the front view sketch of an R/C Buggy body shell Fig 03 showing the final design of an R/C body buggy shell Characteristics of materials for making the Buggy body Shell The dominant material used in making the Buggy body shell is clay. Clay has been chosen as the main material for the body following its varied properties. It is worth noting that clay has varied properties that make it most suitable for the body. First, clay as a material is advantageous because of the low cost of the material and can locally be acquired. Moreover, when purchased, it often comes in the nicely boxed and bagged desired blocks (Erickson, K, 1999). Secondly, clay compounds have superior heat resistance property. Its impact and weather resistant property helps in retaining its shape extremely well. Thirdly, the clay products have other properties, which include timely processing, impact resistance, as well as the dimension stability. The shape used is, therefore, thin-walled and complex products to help maintain excellent performance, and maintaining the composition of the materials formability. Most small racing cars manufacturers welcome clay shells because of their low costs and easily customized (Erickson, K, 1999). So far, many of the R/C shells are often based on the raw materials of clay engineering products, and this is not to be exceptional. One demerit of clay, however, is that it has rather poor thermal conductivity, thus undeniably heavy. However, in this case, its positives tend to overcome the negatives due to the low cost that is associated with using it. This makes the clay engineering products the most popular material among many car shell manufacturers. There are other materials that could have been used in place of clay, which include the ABS plastics and carbon fiber. Some other Engineers often prefer plastic material because it is remarkably easy to shape and exceptionally light. In this respect, there are a number of plastic materials that can be used for R/C shells. These include carbon fiber, ABS engineering plastics, and polycarbonate (Oldham, N, 2005). Carbon fiber is a strong reinforced fiber polymer. It contains fibers of diameter approximately 5-10um. It contains mostly atoms of carbon. These atoms bond with each other to form crystals that align themselves parallel to the fiber. This alignment gives it a high strength in comparison to its volume ratio. Carbon properties like high tensile, high stiffness, high chemical resistance, low weight, low thermal expansion, and high tolerance of temperature is contained in a carbon fiber making it be particularly useful in making some other casing (Oldham, N, 2005). However, carbon fiber is extraordinarily expensive if it is compared to other fibers such as glass. ABS engineering plastics are plastic materials that have thermal and mechanical properties. This property makes these materials to be superior to the common plastics that are normally used (commodity plastics). This material is equally frightfully expensive in terms of the price per unit weight. ABS plastics have properties like high impact resistance, high heat resistance, rigidity, mechanical strength, flame redundancy, and chemical stability. Polycarbonate is the polymer that contains a group of carbonate (-0-(C=0)-0-). This material is derived from monomers that are rigid. Its properties include impact resistance, optical properties, and temperature resistance. These properties make polycarbonate be placed between engineering plastics and the commodity plastics. This material is given out through reacting phosgene and bisphenol. These materials, as well possess a variety of characteristics suitable for the model of the car shells. Heavy-gauges are made in order to withstand many years of use, as well as to make the customers satisfied. These makes them be easier to maintain and rust-resistant. Robot Welders are used in making strong, accurate welds in areas such as chassis areas, grate supports and steel handles (Oldham, N, 2005). Welding helps in making sure that it become long lasting since it includes the grease which is present helps in reducing the areas for collecting moisture. For BBQ wheel manufacturing, nylon is often used since it has suitable heat resistant properties and it is also used for ordinary bearing because of it having a property of resistance heat and grease. Nylon is also tough and durable. There are other, different types of engineering materials that that need not be left put especially for the casing of the R/C buggy. They include materials used to make car casing include Leather, cloth, plastic and neoprene. Leather is a material that is obtained from animal hides. This material is durable if compared to other materials. The colors of leather material may vary depending on the brand of type of car to be applied upon. The material comes in many versions and the cheap quality could be confused with the fake leather versions. Despite this, the durability of cheap leather is preferred to the common fake one. Fake leather is another form of leather that can be used to make car casing. This material may sometimes be referred to as pleather since they are PVC based or plastic. Each brand has its own quality of plastic thus affecting its durability, water resistance, and quality. This material is lighter than the products of leather. Neopene is a material that is seen as the casing of some racing cars. This material provides some padding to the shells because it keeps some moisture of the casing. Cloth as another material for racing car casing is obtained from sources that are not human made. It consist fabrics like cotton. Its coating can be use to give out water resistance. However, they were not chosen for because they are known to have some demerits. First, it is more difficult to form than the clay shells. Secondly, due to the difficulties that are associated with the carbon fiber use in manufacturing, the incorporation of carbon fiber in car shells can double the cost of the cars made. This would go a long way in making the rental more expensive. Clay engineering material has a performance that is advanced. It has a performance of about 1000 which is a blending of Type V steel fiber, and a mono-pro micro synthetic fiber (Malcolm, M, William, J, & Patrick, P, 1990). Mono-pro is one reinforced fiber with exceedingly superior plastic crack shrinkage. It is a crack reinforcement in people’s residential and also in on ground commercial slabs. This product has been listed in ICCESESR as a product meeting the properties for a casing of any buggy. Type V steel-pro is a product that is a product that also meets the set requirements for a material for a car casing. A combination of steel fiber and the mono-pro fibber makes the clay engineering to a material that is durable thus its improved performance. Its performance can be measured in terms of its impact resistance; reduced permeability, surface abrasion resistance, fatigue strength, and a volume that is reduced because of its variations in temperature, and moisture (Nussbaum, J, & Novick, S, 2002). The advanced performance design requires that the mixture of its components to be fabricated in a laboratory so as to make sure that there exist enough motors for coating the aggregate with the fiber of the surface area. The modern versions have many design features. The success of each design depends on engineers and designers with a clear understanding of the material, coatings, as well as the needs of the environment through which the products are used (Nussbaum, J, & Novick, S, 2002). The car shell has many products, and it is composed of a series of separate components requiring careful designing. The material and procedure required in designing the buggy shells with one part made of clay, and the other part made of traditional wood include cold pressing, cold forging, quality control, forming, hole punching, welding, Ceramic coating, Aluminium, cast iron, Welding, Embossing, Enamel, Nylon Handles, stainless, propane, charcoal, Nylon Handles, Hardwood handles, Regulators (Howlett, M, 2005). From the discussion of the engineering materials that are used for R/C casing, the most suitable one is the clay engineering material. This is because the clay engineering material is extremely attractive (Howlett, M, 2005). Its thermal conductivity is better compared to that of other materials. The criteria of choosing this material include determination of the use of the material, determining the needed protection since it will be used by children, and ensuring that the positive benefits outnumber the negative impacts of the material to be used for case. Considering this criteria, Clay engineering plastic material was the only material that fulfilled all the steps. Marketing of the R/C Buggy. When introducing the R/C Buggy as a new product, I find it necessary to narrow my target down as possible by beginning with a limited marketing strategy as the stepping stone. I would start by identifying target geographic and a single demographic area. This planning for Marketing will assist me in identifying the characteristics of my target markets, competitive factors and market sizes, and in getting the funding for my marketing by clearly outlining how the money would be spent, and the revenue it would generate. In this case, marketing and advertising firm campaign that would help generate feedback from focus groups of potential users and buyers of my new model of Buggy would be my priority. I would also assemble informal focus groups myself with the help of some friends or employees. I would organize my budget and ask public relations and marketing firm to get involved. To increase the sales of my new RC Buggy model, I would gather and organize potential buyers and purchasers together and get their ideas, personal opinions and thoughts on my product. Most certainly, this would provide feedbacks that would be useful for me to work to develop a market that will be a tool for attracting potential buyers. In an effort to effectively increase the awareness of my product, I will make use of various social media. Working to build MySpace through Twitter and Facebook accounts for my Buggy model would be my success tool for marketability of my innovated product. I will have to make the page to give a reflective story about the R/C Buggy, as well reasons for creating it and the genesis of ideas. In doing this, I will be flexible enough to allow room for criticism and for those who find it necessary to give feedback concerning my design. When it deems necessary, I will offer discount coupon to any order. On special offers, I will also offer gift cards specifically to social media users and compile an e-mail data of interested customers. In the event of holding special activities or product distributions of my business, I would send electronic announcements and notices to this list. In addition to my own social-networking, I might opt to, as well join online communities focusing on Buggy models and Buggy racing. Charity and Entertainment programs would also be useful and ideal in marketing my new model of Buggy. Sending product sample to varied radio and local television show hosts to enable them confirm the worth of my design would give my products an upper hand in the market. I would also consider getting the model to the local Buggy drivers and celebrities as well in mining a network for possibilities. In consideration of how productive the product would be to me, It may deem necessary to hire a public relations firm in an effort to help me get access to various advertising and marketing arena such as Buggy magazines or national Buggy shows. What about considering a product model placement specialist for television and movies? I feel it will be quite a brilliant idea. Last but not least, special promotion aligned with a charity with the aim of donating some portion of every R/C Buggy purchase would be a boost to my marketing strategy. This is specifically for competitions. This would be considerable public relations on my part, and the charity will do marketing for my product. References. Fiber Glast Development corporation, 2011. Design and Technology in Fiber. Retrieved on 15th June 2012 from http://www.fibreglast.com/ Dawson, C., 1992. The Science and Everyday living: Different ways of knowing some implications for Science in the world. Australian Science Teachers Journal. 38,1,19-24. Erickson, K., 1999. A Constructivist Approach to Scientific innovations. Studies in Science Field. 13,105-122. Hodgkin, G., 2002. Making improvements to a simple experiment on R/C machines. Retrieved on 12th July 2012 from http://www. rollinso/Candle/CandleExpt.html. Howlett, M., 2005. Designs of Body Shells. Troy: Kenyatta Polytechnique Institute. Oldham, N., 2005. The Science Behind the R/C off-road and on-road Buggy . Retrieved on 11th July 2012 from http://www. http://weirdsciencekids.com Nussbaum, J., & Novick, S., 2002. Creating Cognitive Dissonance Between Students Preconceptions to Encourage Individual Cognitive Accommodation and a Group Cooperative Construction of a Scientific Model. Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the American Educational Research Association held in Los Angeles, California. Read More