Random Ideas

I'm only going to upload one picture, as It may be kind of large, but just know I've had multiple ideas before this. What follows is what I'm thinking about as my general layout. (Yes it's on notebook paper. Yes it's rediculous. No it's not accurate to any scale.) It's merely an idea, and as such is just a rough sketch. But this is the product of not paying attention in class! I rather like the idea of having a sprawling section towards the beginning and then as the momentum decreases getting more compact to increase the feeling of speed, if that makes any sense. That last sentence seems like a run-on, but I don't think it is; but it could be.

Anyway, the long straight bit at the right of the sketch is going to be the lift hill, first drop (which I'm thinking of making a double-down: a sort of half-drop, level out, then the rest of the drop; e.g. lots of airtime), that sort of hammer-head turn around (which isn't really used on wooden coasters I don't think), then some more airtime goodness.

Slow Going

Having been overrun by other school work and things, I've not had much time to do a lot with this, but as a quick update, I'll say: I'm kind of excited.

As there are many many functions and ideas and departments that have input on something as grand as a roller coaster, this ride will not be a complete, all-encompassing project. Rather it will focus on dynamics such as speed/velocity, gravity, potential and kenetic energy, and on stresses with respect to the wheels and possibly some supports. And of course the child in me getting to put a working model together! (What kind of child likes to do tedious work like this? Oh yeah, the one obsessed with jigsaw puzzles! #Nerd)

I'm not sure if I've said it before, but I'll say it now just in case: Manticore will be a terrain-based wooden rollercoaster, similar in nature to rides like Boulder Dash at Lake Compounce, Voyage at Holiday World, and Ravine Flyer II at Waldameer. That's about as far as I've gotten in this, so obviously I've got a long ways to go. I will say that I plan to have a virtual semi-model (thank you NoLimits) done within the next two or three weeks.

It's Official!

I got the OK on the preliminary project proposal! Literally. (It was a one-word message. Is OK even a word? I digress...)

Below I've copied my preliminary proposal, it's about a page long in word.

SENIOR DESIGN PROJECT PRELIMINARY PROPOSAL

PROBLEM: A theme park is looking at expanding their attractions with the addition of a roller coaster. A budget will be given, as will a plot of land with limitations.

PURPOSE: Roller coasters are one of those things that most everyone loves, but most don’t really wonder or care how these scream machines are created. I hope to clarify this and prove that it’s really not just as simple as connecting some pieces of track.

PROCEDURE: After deciding on a theme, limits such as budget and size will be investigated and will factor into the original design sketches. After a general concept is developed, a virtual model will be created and tested before continuing with a physical model. Terrain will also factor into the virtual model. Calculations will then be made to determine the safety and appropriateness of the ride. Once everything checks out well, a physical working scalar model will be created and displayed.

OUTCOMES: This project will hopefully enlighten both myself and others on the topic of roller coaster design. The field is greatly under the radar and only a small number of engineers go into the amusement industry, so I hope to introduce that field to those who may not have realized what it’s like.

ROUGH SCHEDULE:

            Weeks 1-2: deciding on a park, area, type, size, and budget; logistics of how roller coasters work; research.

            Weeks 3-4: estimate budget for materials and construction, designing and manufacturing

            Weeks 5-6: create virtual model/simulation

            Weeks 7-8: adjust design as needed. Order or pick up supplies needed for physical model

            Weeks 9-10: begin building model

            Weeks 11-12: finish building model, test, adjustments if needed, present project

OTHER:

            I’m thinking about keeping a blog to update as I go rather than have a ton of files just hanging around on the computer. This helps organize the process and will provide a wonderful reference for the final report. It also helps keep things simple, concise and clean. I will still be making a presentation and report, however. The blog is solely for my personal organization.

I've obviously decided to go ahead with the blog idea, but copy and paste makes life easier.

I'm really excited to start working on this and see this idea take shape!

Theme Idea

I think I've decided on a theme I've been infatuated with for a while now: a manticore. It's not a very well known myth, but it's a facinating creature. I've created a description of a manticore below, just for the sake of continuity.

"It was beet red from head to foot with greyed claws large enough to puncture straight through a body. A scaled swishing tail was tipped with a scorpion’s stinger clearing leaves from the ground behind the hunched over creature. Its head, covered in a lion’s mane, was hunched over a large pig, apparently eating...the creature paused immediately, the scorpion’s tail quickly snapping into striking position while formerly invisible wings sprouted from its sides, gigantic and black. It turned its body ...the fiercely, acid-like green eyes stared at them and it smiled showing gleaming teeth dripping with blood as it cocked its head and opened its mouth showing a second and third row of teeth, each smaller, pointer, and more populated than the one in front. A very loud screech erupted from its mouth..."

This is what I figure the logo/tagline would be:

Introductory Post

Hello there!

This is simply an introductory post explaining what exactly will be going on on this blog for the next several months. Simply put, I'm going to be designing a roller coaster for my senior design project!

Now this isn't just going to be a few drawings and a NoLimits simulation (though that will be on there!) There will be calculations, graphs, data, themeing, and eventually, it will all culminate to a working physical scalar model of some roller coaster I've created. This project will likely last until April of 2012, so don't expect this blog to be ever-lasting.

I've decided to keep a blog for ease of use and order. It's a consolidated place where I can keep track of what I do and when I do it. Updates will not be regimented as who knows what things will get done and when. But pictures and graphs and calculations and likely even videos will be posted on this blog as the project goes on.

I won't put up much near the beginning as there is really just a lot of things I need to work out before I get started, and I've not even got my preliminary project proposal done. But I will be posting that, as well as a formal project proposal. Buget, landscape, terrain, speed, height, forces, theme, funcionality, and more will be looked at for this blog.

So I hope I've not bored you to death already, because things will likely get crazy when dynamics and things start coming into play though I will try my hardest to clarify and explain what everything means when I can. And I hope you stick around and enjoy this blog, and maybe it'll even inspire someone to do something similar!