Races2U was asked by Infor to build a custom slot car track that would let them showcase their IoT (Internet of Things) capabilities at their Inforum convention in New York this July. This project was begun in February, and started with a simple idea. Races2U would build a track that would allow Infor to demonstrate the capabilities of their IOT platform. The track had to look impressive, yet be sturdy enough to be easily transported without damaging the track or scenery. It also needed the ability to have live video captured of the racing as well as capturing data from the cars.
Although Infor was our client, they are also an internet technology company and have a lot of technical experience integrating devices with the internet. The first thing they did was set up a small temporary track with two cars to see if they could integrate their technology with our slot cars. The prototype worked well, and as such we moved into production of the full model. (insert photo here)
The next step was to design the layout for the big track.
Races2U has built many tracks on various bases, using things as diverse as wood cabinetry, rolling metal tool chests, or simple frames built with 2×4 lumber and surrounded with a cloth skirt. For this project, since the track was going to be a major showpiece in the middle of a large convention, and we needed durability, we built the frame with welded and powder-coated steel tubing. It was built in three 4’x7′ sections for easy transport that bolted together underneath to create a 12’x7′ table.
The long front side and one short side were finished off with solid faces of MDF that would look attractive plain or allow for branding to be applied.
The other short side had drawers built in that would hold the slot cars, controls, and tools as well as a laptop computer and video recorder. On the back side of the track we installed two large cabinets that could be used to store prizes, give-away materials, more computer hardware, and personal items. (insert photo here)
The track was surrounded by Plexiglas to keep speeding cars from flying off the table on to the floor. TV’s were mounted to the track to display race statistics from the computer and video from the various cameras around the track. All the wiring was under the table and set up with quick connects between each section. All electrical devices could plug in to one large power strip on the back of the main section for easy power on/off.
To see how the tech works, proceed to Part II
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