Quote:
Originally Posted by 114ManualLabor
Engineering experience: For a real world experience, you aren't going to be given a base chassis, drive system. You need to be able to design one. Adapting an old one is good, but it doesn't come up very often.
|
In my 25 years of engineering design experience (in 3 totally different fields), I've had HUNDREDS of times where I was required to design components to adapt to an existing platform. In fact, it's more likely that you will be required to modify an existing system or component, or add something to an existing system or component, and the desire is to change as little as possible on the existing system. Clean sheet designs are few and far between in the engineering world when compared to modifications.
What this means is that you need to evaluate the performance of the existing frame for its task. If you think it's going to bend locally, beef it up! Custom isn't stronger because it's custom, but because you put the stiffening in the right places. There's not much wasted weight in the kitbot chassis, so put an extra gusset or brace here and there - you probably need attachment points anyway. The great thing about the perforated angle and sheet is that you can assemble it, test it, modify it, all in the same night.