Electric Sport Winch

 
 

Goals

  • Design, prototype, and test an electric sport winch to pull a rider at high speed on skateboards, skis, surfboards, etc

  • Targeting top speed around 25mph and enough torque to pull a wakeboarder through water

Analysis

  • Created a basic MATLAB dynamics script to easily iterate design options such as reel diameter, gear ratio, motor power, and battery capacity

  • Utilized FEA to confirm structural plates could withstand expected loading conditions

  • Performed further calculations to ensure shafts and bearings would survive their expected loading conditions

CAD

  • Designed full system assembly in Fusion360

  • Ran tolerance analyses to ensure parts would fit together as expected

  • Created engineering drawings to assist manufacturing and document critical tolerances

Manufacturing

  • Soldered electrical components with XT90 connectors

  • Manufactured aluminum plates and spacers

    • Waterjet cut initial standoff and reel plate designs

    • Utilized mill to add chain-tensioning slots and fabricate fairlead plate

    • Drilled and tapped holes for chosen screws

    • Cut standoffs and shafts, finished shafts on lathe

    • Polished and deburred

Controller

  • Programmed and manufactured remote to control winch operation with Adafruit Feather Transceiver breakout boards and ergonomic 3D printed casing

  • Created simple UI for speed adjustment using indicator lights