Dragster Assembly

1. Open 3D modeling software.

2. Select File, New, Click on "Standard.iam."
3. An assembly window will open.
4. Click on Place Component located in the Assembly Panel.
5. Select from your GTT folder the car you designed, Dragster Body. Right mouse
click Done to accept the part.
6. It is important for the dragster car body to be placed first, as it should be the
“grounded” part. Look in the browser area of the screen to check to see if there is
a tack located in front of the part. If there is, you’ve grounded this part. If not,
right click on the part and check Grounded.
7. Select the file titled Axle and place two axles on your assembly space. Right
mouse click Done to accept the parts.
8. Select the file titled Front Wheel and place two front wheels in the assembly
space. Right mouse click Done to accept the parts.
9. Select the file titled Rear Wheel and place two copies of the wheel into the
drawing. Right mouse click Done to accept the parts.
10. Your screen should like the one shown below.

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11. In the Assembly Toolbar panel, select Rotate Component. Rotate one of the front
wheels until you can see the hole that the axle can fit in. Next, select Constraint.

12. From the Constraint pop-up, select the Insert icon. The insert constraint will mate
the center axis of the axle with the center axis of the hole on the wheel. It will
also mate the two surfaces that you select. If you select the outside portion of the
wheel, you need to put a -.25 offset so that the axle mates with the inside portion
of the wheel hub. If you choose the inside portion, then your offset value will
remain 0. Click on the two parts, the wheel and the axle, then click Apply.

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13. Do the same with the rear wheel and the other axle.
14. Next, use the Constraint tool and use the Insert icon to install the wheel and axle
assembly into the car body as shown below.

15. Since you are inserting the axle into the car body, be sure that the Offset value is
set to - 1.00.
16. Repeat for the front and rear wheels.
17. If your dragster resembles the one below, you are almost finished creating the
Dragster Assembly.

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18. Click the Universal Rotation tool on the Standard toolbar. Rotate the whole
vehicle into a position so you can see the axles sticking out through the body of
your dragster on the side without wheels.

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19. When your dragster has been positioned, use the Move Component tool to
orientate the Front and Rear Wheels that you have yet to assemble to the axles
protruding through the body.
20. Select the Constraint tool. Click on the Insert icon. Click on the front axle and
front wheel hub. Do not forget to click Apply. Repeat with the rear wheel and
axle.

21. Change to isometric view. If all went well, you have now assembled your first
dragster – on a computer, that is.

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Conclusion
1. Why is creating an assembly of a design important?

2. So far, you have created a 3D model of your dragster on the computer. What do
you think would be different about creating a prototype out of real wood or other
material?

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Dragster Working Drawings
1. Open the 3D modeling program.
2. Click on New and Standard.idw or on the .idw template created by your teacher.
Your screen should look similar to the one in Figure 1.

3. From the Drawing Management menu, select Base View.

4. A pop-up menu will appear. Select Explore Directories and find your dragster
body file. From the File Menu you have choices to either import a part file (i.e.,
File name ending in .ipt) or an assembly drawing (i.e., File name ending in .iam).
5. When you click Open, the dragster will be shown on the Working Drawing
screen. You will be able to move the dragster freely on the paper.
6. On the Drawing View window, click the Front View, then the Hidden Line Style.
Lastly, click OK.

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7. The front view of an orthographic drawing goes in the lower left corner, so move
the vehicle to the lower left hand corner and left mouse click to lock in its
location.

8. From the Drawing Views panel, select Projected View.

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9. Click on the Front view of the dragster and move your mouse directly above the
front view as you would when creating an orthographic top view drawing. Then
move your mouse to the right of the front view to place the right side view.

10. Lock the views in place by right clicking the mouse and selecting Create.

11. Click on File, Save Copy As, and give it a File Name. Click OK. Your work will be
saved as a working drawing file with the extension .idw.
12. Now you will dimension your dragster drawing to make sure that you have met all
of the constraints. Take out page 5 of this project and write the measurements
from your .idw in the Actual column. Make sure that your drawing meets all
specifications.
13. Change to the Drawing Annotations panel. Use the General Dimensions tool to
dimension the required locations. Use Hole/Thread notes to dimension the axle
and air holes.

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 14. Your teacher may request that you print your drawings. Check to verify whether
this needs to be completed now. Your teacher may request that you also
print .idw files of the dragster assembly and the dragster body without
dimensions to use as a pattern for cutting out the wood.
15. Create and print an .idw of the assembled dragster.

Review of Work Completed

 You have designed and created a 3D model of your dragster.
 You have made an assembly drawing of your dragster.
 You have made and printed working drawings of your dragster

Conclusion
1. Why is it important to have a design, make a 3D computer model, create an
assembly, and have working drawings before you create a physical model?

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2. During the three dragster activities, you experienced the creative process of
taking an idea from the design stage to working drawings. What is the most
important lesson that you learned while working on this activity that you will use
on future projects?

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 Dragster Fabrication

Equipment
 Dragster blank (3/4 in. x 7 ½ in.)
 2 axles
 4 wheels
 Drill presses (2) – one for the axle hole and the other for the air supply hole
 Scroll saw
 Band saw
 Belt sander and/or sandpaper
 Paint
 Tape measure
 Stop watch or digital watch
 Scale or triple beam balance
 Glue
Procedure

Part Three: Fabricating and Testing the Dragster

1. Create a drawing sheet (.idw) of just the dragster body you designed. Print two
copies of the drawing sheet. Turn in one copy to your teacher for evaluation. Cut
out the front, top, and side view and tape them on the dragster blank.
2. Following the safety requirements provided by your teacher, begin the production
of the dragster. Remove the larger areas using the band saw. Use the scroll saw
for closer cutting and details. Locate the axle positions and use the drill press to
drill the axle holes. Use a 25/64 inch drill bit to drill the air hole.
3. When the rough shape is done, use the belt sander and sandpaper to smooth out
the surfaces.
4. Paint and add details to the body. Be sure your name is written on the bottom of
the dragster.
5. Glue one wheel on each axle and insert the axle through the axle hole. Glue the
other wheel on the other end of the axle. Put the assembled dragster aside to
allow the glue to dry.
6. Using the dragster fabrication grading rubric, evaluate your dragster.
7. Coat the air tube with petroleum jelly before inserting the air tubing to improve
the seal. Following the teacher’s directions, race the dragster and fill in the data
charts below.
8. Use a scale or triple beam balance to measure the mass of the dragster. Note
the information in the data chart below.
9. Change the air pressure setting, race the dragster, and calculate the
acceleration. Note the information in the chart below.
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10. Compute the average velocity with the following formula.
Velocity (meters per second) = Distance (meters) / Time (seconds)
11. Enter your data on the class list. From the class list, find the average velocity and
mass for everyone’s dragsters.

Your Data
Attempt Distance Elapsed Mass Velocity
Time
1

Average Velocity

The average mass for the class is found by dividing the total mass by the number of
dragsters. The average velocity for the class is found by dividing the total of the
average velocities by the number of dragsters.

Class Data
# of Total Total Class Class
Dragsters Average Mass Average Average
Velocities Mass Velocity

12. Compute the average acceleration with the following formula.

Acceleration = Velocity / Time

Or

Acceleration = Velocity2- Velocity1 / Time2-Time1

13. Enter your data on the class list. From the class list find the average acceleration
for everyone’s dragsters.

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Your Data with Known Force (100psi)
Attempt Initial Final Starting Final Calculated
Velocity Velocity Time Time Acceleration

Average Acceleration

Your Data with Unknown Force

Attempt Initial Final Starting Final Calculated
Velocity Velocity Time Time Acceleration

Average Acceleration

14. Compute the force that acted on your dragster using the following formula.

Force = Mass X Acceleration

Known Average Mass Calculated Known psi

Force Acceleration (g) Force
(Newtons)

Unknown Average Mass Calculated Estimated

Force Acceleration (g) Unknown Unknown
Force psi
(Newtons)

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Conclusion

1. Identify forces other than the compressed air acting on your dragster. List at least
three and make reference to where they affect your dragster.

2. What can be done to counteract the unwanted effects of the forces you listed in
#1?

3. Is there a relationship between mass and average velocity for the class results?

4. Do you know of any conditions that could have affected the performance of your
class when compared to the other classes? What were they?

5. Were your time trial results in the top, middle, or bottom third of the class?

6. What changes would you incorporate into your design to improve your
performance if you could redesign your dragster?

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