Drive Train Morphology
A major design change is the braking system in the front. Shown in the assembly, the disc brake and caliper is mounted directly to the drive shaft and frame itself. The original design from RISD had a disc brake mounted to each front wheel, typical of cars or motorcycles.
Materials and Pricing:
Driveshaft : 0.75” OD Mild Steel
2’ section $11.95
Mounting Plates and brackets:
0.25” Aluminum 7075 12x24” $92.85
Universal Joints: $82.80
Drive Train Concept Selection
The characteristics of each system under consideration were entered into a decision matrix to help guide the team to a solution. As seen in the table, the choice here is clearly between chains and belts, with shafts coming in a distant third.
