Innovative Diwheel Vehicle with Differential Mechanism
The objective of the project was to design and manufacture an innovative diwheel which would be tested in a relay race for an engineering course. This vehicle is powered by pedaling the bike crank assembly attached to the frame, which rotates the axles attached to the drive wheels within the large hoop wheels. The steering is controlled by a differential mechanism, where braking one wheel while still pedaling allows the vehicle to turn. The seat was made from a fiberglass layup, the handles from ABS rapid prototyped plastic, many components from plasma cut steel, and the frame was MIG welded together by the student team. I held the team leader role as well as main welder in addition to designing and fabricating this vehicle with the group. The use of a differential mechanism won us the Innovative Design Award for the competition.