Systems Modeling: Motorized Lego Car

Mark Charles M. Tarroza

ME 176-1st Sem AY 2015-2016
October 7, 2015
Introduction

Methodology
A lego car was designed and assembled for the experiment. The schematic
Results and Discussions
The time domain equation that considers all the variables for the system is needed to make the
necessary curve fit for the data and to obtain the unknown values of the variables J effective, D1, D2,
and motor coefficient A and B. To obtain the time domain equation, the differential equation for a car
system provided in the ME 176 lecture was taken and modified for the lego car system that was used
in the experiment.
The equation provided in the class was :

[ ( )]

N 2 Ea B w N 2 2
N

( mc r 2 +J w +mw r 2+ J eff ) w D2 + D1 2
N1 A
A N1
N1

( )

N2
N1

The model lego car used 2 motors and

can simply be stated as

w = 0

for the ease of

computation. So the equation becomes :

B w 2
2 Ea

( mc r 2 +J w +mw r 2+ J eff ) w [ D2+ D1 2 ] w = 0

A
A
Transforming the equation to s-domain:

2 Ea( s)
B 2 2
=s w
+ s w ( mc r 2+ J w + mw r 2 + J eff ) +s w [ D2 + D1 2 ]
A
A
Also

Ea ( s )=

7.2
s

14.4 2
B 2
2
2
=s w ( mc r + J w + mw r + J eff ) + s w
+ s [ D 2 + D 1 2 ]
As
A
Further simplifying:

14.4
A

B
s s ( mc r + J w +mw r + J eff ) + w
+ s [ D 2 + D 1 2 ]
A
2

])

= w (s)

For faster computations , let :

2

G=( m c r +J w +m w r + J eff )H= w

B
2
+ s [ D 2+ D 1 ]
A

So that the equation becomes:

14.4
AG
= w (s)
H
2
s s+
G

To transform back into time domain, first let :

14.4
AG
M N
O
= + 2+
s s
H
H
2
s+
s s+
G
G

Solving for the coefficients M, N and O, we get :

M=

14.4 G
14.4
14.4 G
N=
O=
2
2
AH
AH
AH

The time domain equation becomes :

14.4 G 14.4 14.4 G
w (t) =
+
t+
e
AH
A H2
A H2

H
t
G

Where :

G=( mc r 2 +J w +mw r 2+ J eff )H= w

B2
+ s [ D 2+ D 1 2 ]
A

and

]
N2
N1

After the angular displacement curves of the functions for the two gear set has converged with
the plot of the data points obtained from the experiment, the variables Jeffective, D1, D2, A and B
that was given as output by the solver was recorded and used to with the time domain equation for
the system to predict the performance of other gear sets. The values of the system variables obtained
from the experiment are tabulated below.
Mass of Car (2 wheels attached)

0.983 kg

Mass of Car (No wheel attached)

0.867 kg

Mass of Wheel

0.058 kg

No. Of Teeth Gear 1

No. Of Teeth Gear 2
2
J of Wheel (Kg- m )

20 , 24
12 , 8
0.0000683

Jeffective of Transmission(Kgm2 )

N m

0.00000286

N m

0.00615

D1(Friction Gear 1)( rad /second )

D2(Friction Gear 2)( rad /second )

Motor Coefficient A
Motor Coefficient B

0.00385

25.383
0.0767

Table. The Values of the System Variables Obtained from the Experiment and Used to Predict
System Performance for Other Gear Sets. The Values at the Right Hand Side Were Obtained From
the Curve Fitting Procedure.
Together with the time domain equation obtained previously, these values were used to obtain
data points for other gear sets of the car. The number of teeth for gear 1 and 2 can be varied to obtain
performance data for the other gear sets.
The resulting curves after the curve fitting was done are shown in the figures below.

N1=20 and N2=12

60
50
40
Angular Displacement(rad.)

Experimental

30

Computational

20
10
0
0

0.5

1.5

Time(seconds)

Figure. Time vs. Displacement Plot Obtained from Curve Fitting for the First Gear Set

N1=24 and N2=8

60
50
40
Angular Displacement(rad.)

Experimental

30

Computational

20
10
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
Time(seconds)

Figure. Time vs. Displacement Plot Obtained from Curve Fitting for the Second Gear Set.
The curve fitting for the time domain function was done simultaneously for the first and
second gear set to obtain a single set of values for the variables with unknown values. The minimum

net square error obtained by the solver function in excel for this curve fit is 4.686. Since the data
from were were curve fitted with the time domain equation simultaneously, the function generated
will use all variables tabulated in table 1 except for number of teeth of gear 1 and 2 since these two
values are going to be altered base on what gear set are in use by the car. Note that only the first and
last quarter portion of the data points while the car is running was used in the curve fitting process
but the time domain function and the data from the experiment was plotted for the whole run to
show the process with continuity. With the first gear set (20-12) in use, the car was able to finish the
run in approximately 1.9 seconds while the second gear set (24-8) did it in approximately 2.7
seconds.
With the approximate values obtained for the system variables with unknown values through
the curve fitting method, predicting and comparing the performance of the car for all other gear set
has become possible. Using the time domain function , the values in table 1 and the number of teeth
N1 and N2 for the gear set to be used, the performance data points and curves for the given gear
ratios(16-16 , 8-24 , 24-8 , 20-12 and 12-20) were generated.

N1=16 and N2=16

9
8
7
6
Displacement(meters)

Computational

1 meter

2 meters

4 meters

2
1
0
0

Time(Seconds)

Figure. The Time vs. Displacement Plot of the Car When Ran with 16-16 Gear Set Installed.

N1=8 and N2=24

6
5
4
Displacement(meters)

Computational
1 meter

2 meters
4 meters

2
1
0
0

Time(Seconds)

Figure. The Time vs. Displacement Plot of the Car When Ran with 8-24 Gear Set Installed.

N1=24 and N2=8

5
4.5
4
3.5

Computational

3
Displacement(meters)

1 meter

2.5

2 meters

4 meters

1.5
1
0.5
0
0

Time(Seconds)

Figure. The Time vs. Displacement Plot of the Car When Ran with 24-8 Gear Set Installed.

N1=20 and N2=12

8
7
6
Computational

5
Displacement(meters)

1 meter

2 meters

4 meters

2
1
0
0

Time(Seconds)

Figure. The Time vs. Displacement Plot of the Car When Ran with 20-12 Gear Set Installed.

N1=12 and N2=20

9
8
7
6
Displacement(meters)

Computational

1 meter

2 meters

4 meters

2
1
0
0

Time(Seconds)

Figure. The Time vs. Displacement Plot of the Car When Ran with 12-20 Gear Set Installed.

9
8
7

N1=16 & N2=16

N1=8 & N2=24

N1=24 & N2= 8

5
Displacement (meters)

N1=20 to N2=12

N1=12 & N2= 20

1 meter

1.5 meters

2.5 meters

2 meters

4 meters

0
0

Time (seconds)

Figure. The Time vs. Displacement Curves of the Car When Ran with Different Gear Sets Plotted
Together.

1 m.
1.5 m.
2 m.
2.5 m.
4 m.

16-16
0.947s
1.244s
1.527s
1.801s
2.607s

8-24
0.977s
1.416s
1.855s
2.3s
3.613s

24-8
1.626s
2.13s
2.6s
3.071s
4.428s

20-12
1.18s
1.535s
1.868s
2.189s
3.12s

12-20
0.848s
1.154s
1.456s
1.756s
2.655s

Table. The Theoretical Time Needed by the Car to Reach Each Reference Distances for Each Gear Set
Installed.

Conclusion
The experiment can be considered successful since consistent data points and a good curve
fit for these were obtained. The curve fit procedure yielded feasible values for the unknown
system variables with unknown values. The effective mass moment of inertia of transmission
(Jeff=), motor coefficients A() and B() and the friction coefficient at gear 1 (D1=) and gear
2(D2=) were obtained from curve fitting the time domain transfer function with the data sets
from the runs with the two gear sets simultaneously.

References