Suspension Design
September 2024 - March 2025
Aside from my leadership contribution to Wreck Racing, I also helped design the suspension of the team's latest car. The suspension points were first found using Optimum Kinematics, which gave optimized geometry based on our predicted loads and desired performance for the vehicle. The rest of the suspension was then parameterized in Fusion, where we figured out how to mount the suspension to the rest of the chassis.
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For fabrication, I helped manufacture parts through both a CNC waterjet and a lathe. The control arm tubing and mounting geometries of the suspension were made from pure stock (besides the heim joints), where they were later welded together into the proper parts.
Results
The control arms were designed to be more stable than those on the team's previous car, which were prone to failure under high load. The new system's simpler geometry allows the material to optimally resist any loads, and has performed exceptionally since installation.​
The suspension has also been tested by professional drivers who have all said it performs extremely well in autocross competitions. Additionally, gyroscopes and accelerometers are regularly used to verifythat the suspension moves in the way it was designed to.
Skills Developed
Fusion360: Standard part design, assemblies, and workspaces.
CNC Waterjet: File preparation, use, and general maintenance.
Manual Lathe: All components of a standard lathe (including tailstock, live center, drilling, etc.)
Powertool Metalworking: Standard power tools used whenever machining was unnecessary.