Week 3

For the week of September 7 - September 14, my partner and I are in the beginning stages of designing the active suspension. We each come up with ideas and then we critique them to come up with the best overall and cost effective design. For example, a potential idea was using a scissor lift as a way to level the car. This is necessary when the car is held by springs because once a certain amount of weight enters the car it will create a displacement in the springs which will cause the car to be lower than what it is supposed to be. If the car is significantly lowered, it will not align with the platform resulting in unsafe loading and unloading for the passengers. This is why a leveling system is necessary if the car is hanging from springs. Although if we have the springs/shock absorbers in the horizontal position rather than the car hanging for it, then would it be necessary to add the self-leveling system to the bogie? As engineers currency is always a huge concern, so if there is any opportunity to save money without sacrificing the quality of the bogie, then that would be a huge plus for us. My partner and I are still deciding whether or not to spend the money to get a leveling system, which ultimately depends on the final design we choose.